


Paradigm Shift

by Siluri_Sanguine



Category: Vampyr (Video Game)
Genre: Adult Content, Alcohol, Anal Sex, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood, Blood Drinking, Canon Divergence, Character Turned Into Vampire, Edgar was turned, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Geoffrey was turned, Jonathan uses a glamour, M/M, Mental Anguish, Multi, Not sure yet how Charlotte will fit into this romantically, Oral Sex, Slow Burn, elizabeth friend not lover, sad third ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2020-07-28 00:34:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 53,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20055121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siluri_Sanguine/pseuds/Siluri_Sanguine
Summary: Jonathan still grieving the loss of his mentor and friend Elizabeth, returns to London to inform her daughter Charlotte of what transpired in Scotland and to also make sure his new progeny are coping with their new lives.





	1. The long road back from hell

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic after many, many years, so please be kind and any advice you could give would be welcome. Edited now thanks to helpful critique.
> 
> i just fell in love with the Vampyr story, the setting was so atmospheric and the characters had a depth and backstory that begged for more. I loved the lore behind the vampire mythos in the game which i have added to with my own research and knowledge of the era and mythology.
> 
> Setting - the ‘sad’ third ending where Elizabeth dies and Jonathan is heartbroken. This is canon divergence from this official ending of the game. I chose to make Elizabeth a good friend of Jonathan. i know the game based the love story on classic gothic victorian stories but it still felt forced in many ways. His love for her was as a friend and mentor. I also chose to have him to return to London instead of disappear to Paris for some off reason. That made no sense to me. Only a Dragon Jonathan would leave. A Heartbroken Jonathan would still care for those he left behind.
> 
> Appearance - His eyes are a silver icy blue/grey with catlike pupils and bloodshot red scleras (that he hides to most with a glamour to appear simply very pale blue/grey in same way Elisabeth looks 'normal' although she has the most unnatural green eyes.
> 
> Geoffrey McCullum was turned vampire, in fit of despair and desperation and because in my mind there is no way he would have survived the injuries sustained in that fight. Plus he drank King Arthur's vampire blood anyway!
> 
> Dr Edgar Swansea also turned as although Jonathan was shocked at what he had done, he couldn’t lose a friend and knows how important he is to Pembroke not collapsing under the chaos…for now. But he is so disappointed by Edgar's lack of foresight and ethics that he cannot trust him again.
> 
> Title for story comes from the Korn album of same name. Paradigm which is in science, a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitutes legitimate contributions to a field. Jonathan's concepts on life, reality and how to be a doctor are distinctly changed in the game and i think this term fits rather well. The album is great too and i was listening to when i first started writing this!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan knew he had to return to London. To destroy any remaining samples of Elisabeth's blood and to confront the demons that still waited there.

* * *

The journey back from Scotland had been a long slow one, over a month passing before he drove into the familiar streets of London. The time taken was partly due to being limited by when he could travel and by the speed of the car, but mostly because of what he had just experienced had taken time to take in. He had even stopped at The Bull Inn, where Elisabeth had lived as a mortal. He'd sat in a dark corner of the Inn contemplating all the events that had happened in that ruin of a castle in Scotland. In a short space of time, he had met with one of the oldest, greatest figures in history, realised there were many famous kin he was related to through blood and watched the person he considered a mentor and friend, burn themselves to death in front of him, all because she had told him she felt betrayed by his choices.

He thought he had gotten through to her, but when she'd spat those words at him, the only thing Jonathan could think she referred to was his taking of human life to sustain him for the monumental battle he had fought. But she too had fed on humans, taking their lives as an act of mercy. Acts he had done as well as take the lives of very human monsters who were as deadly as any vampire he had met. There were no innocents lost to his bite. Yet this for her was too much. Perhaps her guilt at what she had done during her time as Elisabeth Blackwood had manifested itself. 

He could no longer truly keep to his Hippocratic oath, there was no way he could be just a doctor not with what he was now. He'd taken plenty of lives back in the war to defend others, so death now was simply another tool he could wield like a scalpel. He wished he'd had time to explain, but her mind had been set long before he had found her and she had pushed him to the ground and consigned herself to the flames. He had lost Elisabeth to her own guilt and anguish.

Guilt and Anguish he knew all too well. For he knew he had to get back to The Pembroke to destroy any blood samples Edgar still had of hers. As much as he wanted to research it, he could not take the risk. What if he was killed? If a vial of that blood made it into the wrong hands? No he couldn’t live with that risk. He hoped Edgar had left well alone, but the gnawing worry was there in the back of his mind. Could he fully trust the man after what he did. Could he ever consider him a friend anymore? The thought of going back to London overwhelmed his thoughts, to return to the city where so much had happened. To tell Charlotte her mother had passed. To confront Edgar, and to track down Geoffrey McCullum and inform him of the news the disaster had been averted and to explain why he had turned him. 

His first port of call when he arrived was The Pembroke Hospital, which had been his second home and a safe haven during the epidemic. He was warmly greeted at the gates by Dr Tippets and Nurse Branagan. They informed him that she was being sponsored to become a doctor and it would be Tippets final act before he retired. He had cleaned himself of his addiction thanks to her and it was a kindness returned. Jonathan was so happy for Gwyneth as she would make a formidable Doctor and he would make sure Dr Ackroyd didn’t stand in her way.

Before he had left for Scotland, he had used his influence abilities to tell the stubborn and belligerent Dr Ackroyd to stop delaying and perform the surgery on poor Mr Fiddick before it was too late, whilst encouraging Dr Strickland into more ethical research. Ackroyd was still the terse and acidic character but at least he seemed grateful for being given the opportunity. He still didn't like Jonathan but that was fine. He was a good doctor, as long as he didn't cause problems Jonathan would leave him well alone. Strickland though, was a doctor who could become like Swansea if not careful. Jonathan knew he had to guide him along ethical routes to medical advancement. With proper guidance the younger doctor would be very gifted.Thankfully he'd chosen well and the surgery performed by Ackroyd had been a great success with Mr Fiddick now working as a carpenter helping to repair and update the hospital in gratitude for his recovery. Jonathan had even glimpsed Fiddick’s two children leaving one evening, smiles on their faces as they knew their father was well. Once he done a quick once over of the patients in the hospital, he headed straight to Dr Swansea’s office. As he opened the door he came upon Dr Swansea sitting behind his desk, drinking from a blood bottle. Jonathan had wondered how Edgar managed his need for blood and it seemed this was his answer. 

  
"Edgar, I hope you are not using up all the hospital’s limited donations, I hear there are damaged areas in the hospital that still have far too many rats, I would suggest sating your thirst on them.”

Edgar nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden sound, not realising his door wasn’t locked,

“Jonathan!! Oh... how good it is to see you return my dear friend! But no, I don’t think I could bare to drink blood from vermin, how unsanitary. Is that what you did? Oh Jonathan i don't know how you could do that.”

Jonathan smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. He looked down at his progeny, who was wiping the last remnants of blood off his mouth with a handkerchief. He looked healthy as if he had fed well. He only prayed he sated his thirst on donated blood for the conversations Jonathan had had with Edgar after his turning had worried him, but it could not last, he knew. He would have to have a word with Usher Talltree about how they dealt with members of their group becoming vampires themselves. He had made Edgar an ekon because he knew at that time the Pembroke would have fallen into chaos had he died. No doctor there was suitable to take his place and run it efficiently, it had been teetering on a knife edge as it was and with one false step could send it plummeting into the hostile world that surrounded it. No he had made the right decision at the time, but time would tell if it was a lasting one.

  
  
"I’m here to take any samples you still have of Elisabeth Ashbury’s blood. I need to make it very clear, I need it all. Nothing must be left behind, do you understand?”

Jonathan told his progeny as he finally broke from his thoughts. 

”Jonathan, what ever happened? Why are you speaking as if Lady Ashbury is no longer with us?” Edgar stammered, his heart feeling suddenly very heavy in his chest. 

  
  
”She has gone Edgar. she sacrificed herself to prevent her infected blood ever being used to create another Disaster. She died because she couldn’t live with herself for all the people that suffered because of this epidemic you caused.” Jonathan spat the words out, his anger towards Edgar no longer hidden.

Edgar slumped, suddenly the guilt that he had been denying himself felt like a lead weight inside his chest. He'd only wanted to help and thought the regenerative powers of vampire blood could accomplish what normal science could not. He wished Jonathan had turned up sooner to help his research but no, he had been alone, and the guilt was his alone to carry. 

Lady Ashbury had been the one to offer Edgar the job as Administrator at the hospital she was patron of. She had been such a kind lady who'd only asked for his help to sate her thirst in non violent ways. People died every day in the hospital and he had allowed her to feed on those who were dying. She had been an angel of death, her kind voice ushering the dying into the afterlife. He had also transfused fresh blood into her whilst taking some of hers to study. Such a fool he had been to not test the blood. But how do you test for an ancient curse! As he lifted his sullen face to Jonathan, he wondered if his friend could ever forgive him.  
  
"I know I cannot change what has happened and I am truly sorry how this turned out. I will greatly miss her company and her kind words though I doubt any words she would say to me now would be kind. I have only three vials of her blood left in my storage cabinet. They are marked with her name, they are yours without question.”

He stood up and gave the key to Jonathan. Not wishing to look into the cabinet to see the evidence of his hubris within. Jonathan took the key off Edgar, a more sympathetic smile on his face now, He was glad Edgar finally appeared to feel guilt of what he had done and hoped it meant he would not fail again. As he opened the cabinet there in front of him in a rack sat the three dark filled vials of blood marked with the E. Ashbury. He carefully lifted them out and put them into a small case and closed the lid.   
  
"Another disaster will happen Edgar, the Red Goddess merely slumbers. I hope I am still around to help who ever is chosen as the next champion and maybe together we can finally end the cycle. But until then these must be destroyed, so they can never be used.”

With that he turned and left the room, leaving Swansea to his guilt. Closing the door firmly behind him he made his way down to the furnaces in the basement. After holding the case for what seemed like an eternity he threw it into the blazing furnace, watching as the last trace of Elisabeth sizzled into nothing. As the smoke rose so did his feelings for the woman who had saved him the night he had been turned and had guided him in ways his sire never did. Who had been his mentor ,friend and who had felt a love for him that was not strong enough to remain in this world. Jonathan said a silent prayer for who ever or what ever bothered to listen. He'd never been a religious man, but events had shown him there were many things in the world he had no true understanding of, so saying a prayer was worth a shot. As he closed the door to the furnace room, he turned to give one last look to the furnace. Everything that was Elisabeth had now been consumed by fire, sanitised by the flames. One last tear to be shed for her trickled down his cheek.

  
"Goodbye my friend, I hope you are finally at peace”


	2. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions never go smoothly do they.  
Again critique and advise welcome, but please be gentle!

* * *

After spending the day asleep in his office in The Pembroke, the next night, he made his way back to his family home to visit his mother and Avery. The quarantines were beginning to be lifted and abandoned buildings sanitised or demolished. He found it cathartic, cutting out the rotting flesh of the city to allow it to heal. His mother and Avery were the same as when he left, in fact his mother had not noticed he had been gone so long for she had ‘spoken to him many times’ which was no longer a surprise to him. He gently took his mother’s hands and kissed her forehead and then retired to his room.

Placing the items he had taken from The Ashbury castle on the floor against a wall, he went out onto the balcony and breathed in the cold winter air, allowing all the pain and sadness he’d been carrying to leave with every breath. He didn't need to breathe, but the very act was calming and helped centre him to what was left of his humanity. He stood there for a hour until he felt the weight had been lifted, but he felt empty. It was then he realised he hadn't fed since he'd arrived back.

He had made peace with what he was and knew only human or vampire blood would truly allow him to ‘live’. Animal blood kept him going but it did not truly fuel him. He had vowed never to take an innocent life that did not ask for release and only to hunt down those who were monsters whether they be human or vampire. Going out into the night of the West End, It didn’t take him long, walking through the now deserted park near his home, where he set upon a scoundrel attempting to assault a young bleeding woman. He silently slipped behind the man and grabbed him by the back of the neck in a vice grip, allowing the girl to run away, her thanks being silently made to her mysterious saviour as she fled.

  
"Unhand me at once, do you know who I am! " Exclaimed the man, who was very well dressed but dishevelled after the struggle with the woman.

  
"**No. but** **you are going to tell me who you are and what you planned to do to that young lady.**” Jonathan’s voice took on a commanding tone that few could resist.

  
"I am Thomas Wethercroft Esquire!, Son of Richard Wethercroft. That girl is a whore! everyone knows it, I could do anything I wanted, and get away with it, I planned to do all sorts to her and my father would protect me, he owns many of the properties here, If she complained he’d have her and her family evicted!” the man spat, sounding far too proud of what he thought was his golden ticket out of anything.

“Hmm, that tells me everything I need to know. You are a vile individual who think nothing of using what you think is power over others less fortunate. But you have no idea what power is. **You will come with me**. ”

Mesmerising the man. Jonathan led him to a quiet shadowy corner of the park near the work going on repairing one of Underground tunnels that was hit by the war and embraced him, sinking his fangs deep into the man’s throat, taking his time to take every single drop of this wretched creature’s life. As the man’s heart fell silent, Jonathan heard Thomas’s last thoughts.

_I could have had it all, when my father finally kicked the bucket. Now I’m here dying like some common scum, all because a whore screamed too loudly._

Feeling justified in his actions Jonathan threw the body into the work hole, knowing any skals in the tunnels would smell the body and clean up any evidence, but not before ripping deeply into the neck with his claws to hide the ragged puncture holes from his fangs. 

  
He then realised he could still smell the blood from the woman who’d been attacked, meaning she could still be bleeding and he could not let her come to harm now, after saving her. So using his senses he picked up her trail and found her sitting on the well lit doorsteps of a nearby house outside the park entrance, shaking like a leaf. Coming up close, he slowly knelt down in front of her.

  
"I am Dr Reid, I mean You **no harm**. You are injured and may have taken a cut to the head, I would like to have a look if I may.” 

She looked up, her face a mess of tears, dirt and dried blood, and slowly nodded. He took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wetted it with flask of alcohol he always kept in his coat, wiping away what he could. She seemed alright, the cuts already closing over and there didn't seem to be any trauma hidden from normal eyes that he could detect. But she was showing signs of slight shock and needed to get somewhere warm. Jonathan hoped she lived nearby that he could escort her safely back there.

“Head wounds bleed badly but they are often superficial, it looks like you do not need stitches and you show no signs of concussion. Is your home nearby? I am happy to walk you there if you feel unsafe to do so alone. **You are in no danger from me**. I promise no harm shall come to you.” 

She gingerly stood up, though her legs almost gave way as she did, the adrenaline in her body long gone. Jonathan gently grasped her shoulders to steady her and then took her arm to allow her to walk alongside him.

“Thank you sir, I don't know what would have happened if you had not come by when you did, Thomas had been harassing me for weeks saying he was going to have his way with me and if I said anything my family would pay the price. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do except let it happen. My family isn’t rich sir, compared to many here and some look down on us like we shouldn’t be in this district.”

They walked two streets away to one of the town houses that was near the old quarantine gate. A clean house that was well kept but simple in standards. There was a light on in the upstairs bedroom and two heartbeats of people within. As Jonathan led her to the front door, he stopped and gently turned her to face him. 

"**Do not fear any repercussions from your assailant or his family, you will have none**. You are safe now. You will not remember anything of what happened tonight, except that you were attacked from behind but your assailant was scared away. Now go on inside and make yourself a cup of tea and get warm. In the morning head to nearest free hospital to check on that head wound. Farewell my lady.”   
  
And with that he departed, turning only to make sure she did indeed go inside and close the door. He watched her heartbeat as it was joined by the two others and was satisfied she was safe for now. He would have to pay a visit to this Richard Wethercroft to see if father was like son soon.

As he began his walk back to his family home he suddenly felt the presence of another ekon, a presence he knew well. He turned down a dark alley and waited. Soon enough a black tendril filled cloud appeared next to him which turned into the former head of the Guard of Priwen, Mr Geoffrey McCullum.  
  
"What you did back there Reid, I didn’t know what to think at first, I thought you’d gone all leechy and I was preparing to take you down, but then I felt the terror in that poor girls heart and heard what that scumbag said...so, what are you, some vigilante now? Only killing scum on the streets of your city?” McCullum asked, scanning the area,not looking at Jonathan.  
  
But Jonathan couldn't help but look at McCullum, who exuded a confidant presence and power. The ekon life suited him, though he was more than just an ekon. He had become a Nimrod, a rare breed of ekon who could pass as human to anyone unless he wanted to appear as he truly was. It was a boon for him, for although he had passed leadership of Priwen to another, he was still very much in contact with them.  
  
"Something like that. Geoffrey. I only kill ‘scum’ as you put it or those who ask to be released from this life like those who are terminally ill. Also if I’m not mistaken I believe you are doing the exact same thing over in the docks. I’ve heard the area is suddenly rather safe of recent.”

  
"Ah like that Carina girl that wandered around near here, we came across her over month back, she was blabbering on about eating rats and that she couldn’t say why but she begged one of us to grant her mercy. Her body was found a few days gently laid out on a bench, before you left to fight Harriett Jones. Was that your doing?” McCullum replied, ignoring the second half of Jonathan’s statement as he lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke into the air.  
  
Unperturbed by his comment Jonathan leaned against the nearest wall, If seemed Geoffrey wanted to avoid talking about himself, but Jonathan would not let it go,

"Yes that was me, she had been brainwashed by some vile ekon called Jacob Blackwood who had tortured her into eating rats in the belief it would allow her eternal life. She knew it was wrong but couldn’t stop the compulsion, Nor i break it. she too begged me to release her torment and I obliged. Her last thoughts were to thank me and tell me who did it to her, which she could not do so whilst alive. Make note of that ekon's name Geoffrey, as one of us will take him down. Would you now like me to name every single person I have embraced? Because I remember them all. Do you remember yours?” 

  
"Blackwood? That name has been on our lists for centuries, him and his missus. Worst kind of monsters. If he is here then i'll let the Guard know. But yeah alright!, yeah I have killed, is that what you like to hear? I couldn’t stand the gang violence that was getting worse every night in the docks, especially when you left London. Ol Tom even wanted to close the Turtle to protect Sabrina and the violence was getting closer to that Sean’s sanctuary too, places that were always safe spaces were being threatened and the Priwen wouldn’t do anything to help, stating it wasn’t a vampire problem. It was the final nail where i realised I could not longer be their leader. I handed over the reigns to Katherine Morgan, my second. She’s young, but with her experience and respect to guide them well, No one would dare try anything with her, she’s one of the ‘men’ and could take most of the down easily.” Geoffrey beamed at that last statement before returning to a sombre mood. 

"So yeah, I went it alone, because back then I was alone. You buggered off and it wasn’t like I was going to talk to Swansea, so I figured I’d try to help, use my skills and new abilities to do some bloody good. Happy now? Also yeah sometime, you can tell me just how many you have taken out and why, for my own curiosity let’s say”. 

McCullum finally turned to face his sire, anger simmering behind his eyes, the resentment at being left alone coming to the surface. Jonathan echoed his movements and stood up to directly face McCullum, staring into his sky blue pupils.

"I’m so sorry I left you when I turned you Geoffrey. I was so angry that you’d kidnapped Edgar, I wanted to make you see how I felt. But after finding him, I had run back as fast as I could carrying him with me to make sure you were alright as I certainly wasn't going to leave him in the theatre to turn. You had already gone of course, but after searching for the rest of the night I didn’t find a single body until I came across a drained skal under the walkway by the canal and the faint echo of your voice in my head repeating ‘ you bastard’. I knew you were perfectly fine then." 

Jonathan couldn't bring himself to tell McCullum the way he knew he'd killed that Skal was the corpse smelt of him, as if he had held the dying skal's body so tightly as to squeeze every drop out. A scent of gunpowder, burnt wood and leather and now something else, a velvety scent of old blood, his blood.

"When i saw you again in the cemetery, i knew you had adjusted to being an ekon, but i didn't have time to stay, i had to stop the Disaster from happening and then events happened so fast i had no time to tell anyone where i as going or why. I’m sorry it took me so long to return back here, but what I had to do meant I had to go to Scotland and you can imagine how long it takes to travel solely by night by car. Just know that the disaster was averted, that the source of the contagion is no more and I have returned here to be a guide to my progeny if you’ll have me.”

  
Dammit Reid was Infuriating, McCullum thought, he wanted to wail and shout at the man standing in front of him, To tell him how much he had panicked when he'd awoken in that hospital loft alone, the hunger that had been overwhelming but he had managed to escape the hospital without harming anyone. But all McCullum could muster was a snort and shake of his head as he began to sympathise with his sire. He knew more had happened whilst he was away than his sire would say and it clung to Reid like a dark cloud. He also felt great relief that he was back. The moment Reid had appeared in London, McCullum had sensed him, felt many of his stronger emotions come through their mental bond. He knew Jonathan didn’t fully trust Swansea, which was good, meant he could keep a closer eye on his ‘blood brother.’ He also knew he felt great loss for something or someone, maybe that had something to do with the dark cloud Reid now carried. So, McCullum put an hand on Reid’s shoulder.

"Aye, I could do with someone to talk to now and then, cant exactly chat to my old brothers about what I am now, can I? As leeches go, you’re alright. Fancy teaming up for a hunt like that night in the cemetery? Felt kinda good to fight along side you, instead of against you”.

With that his anger dissipated into nothing, to be replaced by a fast beating hope and a crooked smile.  
  
"That does not sound unpleasant Geoffrey, but where do you suggest? Your former men at arms are still patrolling and it would be interesting, but probably unfortunate to see their reactions to you using vampire abilities” Jonathan mused as he watched for a reaction.  
  
"Ah See Kat, I mean Katherine, keeps me in the know of the rota, so I know where any patrol is any night. She knows what I am see, the only one and she didn’t try to kill me there and then. Simply asked me how long and who did it. That’s why you are off the hit list by the way. She said anyone who could turn me and keep my respect deserved hers. I don’t know whether she is the smartest or dumbest person I know! ” 

McCullum chuckled, his shoulders shaking with the effort. It had been a blessing when Kat had found out, it was hard enough not telling her as she was like a daughter to him.

“Anyway, I know a good spot, I’ve been doing this for a while yeah”. he finally lowered the hand he’d had on Jonathan’s shoulder, which made the latter audibly sigh at the loss. But the happy way McCullum had asked for his company, it was enough for now. Jonathan smiled and nodded, opening his hand out.  
  
"Then lead on my progeny and let’s see what the rest of the night brings us” 


	3. A Night on the Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two ekon head off to the Docks to hunt, but they come across some unusual Priwen Guards who force McCullum to act fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although i could never tell in game, i felt the Priwen should have sort sort of visual symbol on them, like a badge or armband. They are a militia after all.

* * *

The pair’s first port of call was towards the Turquoise Turtle. Any local news would inevitably filter through there and McCullum used it to great advantage. He had made the docks his new home and had vowed to himself that he would protect it. Many dark corners of the city were still filled with feral beasts of all kinds and police hadn't returned to their former numbers to patrol anywhere.

As they reached the entrance, the two ekons nodded to each other in silent agreement and McCullum strode into the pub, whilst Jonathan waited outside.

"Hey Tom, hows it going?!" He bellowed as he strode through the bustling pub and lent against the bar, Tom looked up and smiled widely, McCullum was a good sort, who'd stopped a few bar fights from starting in the pub, just it seems by talking to the antagonists. It had saved a lot of cleaning up and expense and he was thankful for it. 

"Hello Geoff! yeah I’m doing alright. Business is good as you can see. All thanks to our the mysterious saviour whose been keeping the streets safe for good folk to walk around at night. I’d by them a drink if I knew who they were!”

McCullum merely nodded, whilst Jonathan listening in, had to stifle a laugh. He heard that term used by Sabrina a few times when he had passed by. First it had referred to him, but now it seemed the mantle had been passed on. 

"Aye, I guess someone just had enough of the gang shit going on. Makes my life easier now what with having night shift work. Being a warehouse watchman whose able to get there and back without being mugged is a blessing. Any news on the street by the way? Love to keep up with the gossip, makes the night pass faster."

Tom looked around at the patrons who were too busy drinking or eating to pay attention to the barman, he leaned in closer to McCullum and hid the view of his mouth with his hand.

"Nothing much really, you know people like to keep things private and I don’t like to tattle. But I can tell you there is still some serious infighting going on in the Wet Boot Boys after Edwina Cox was found dead. A power vacuum has formed and many are vying for leadership. Her second, Booth, even left the gang, he’s got an honest day job as a dock worker now and refuses to talk about what he saw when he found her. Least they’re mostly fighting each other, keeping the violence to themselves. I also hear there’s been some noises heard coming from one of the dock buildings just east of Southwark bridge, cross the river. Sounds like a pack of feral dogs or something. I’d avoid the area till the police finally make their presence known. Now, you want a drink? found a bottle of that whisky you liked.”

With his new 'job' McCullum found it easy to make excuses for walking into pubs and not ordering, as much as it pained him, he couldn't drink alcohol no matter how much he wanted to.

"Ah you know I don’t drink before I start work, just thought I’d pop in see how you were. Best be off now but thanks for that warning.”

Geoffrey shook Tom’s hand and with a passing wave to Sabrina, walked back out and met up with Jonathan who was just talking to the young Rufus, who glanced nervously at McCullum and left. 

"Take care Rufus. don’t forget to take that medicine and give my regards to Mrs Fishburn when you see her.” 

"You’ll never stop being a doctor will you?” Geoffrey chimed in as the two fell in step.

Jonathan thought, yes he could easily be a doctor to those that needed it. He could control his blood lust during surgery now quite easily and had saved a number of patients helping the other surgeons at Pembroke. The ability to see a mortal's health also helped immensely. 

"I was a doctor before I was an ekon Geoffrey, The two are not mutually exclusive. One can be both as I have found quite successfully. Anyway, did you find anything interesting?” 

"Aye I did, Sounds like there might be a beast in one of the buildings in Southwalk and the gangs are fighting amongst themselves for leadership after Edwina was...removed from her position of power, permanently” 

Jonathan paused at that news before keeping in step with McCullum. "Your doing I take it? I found she was too valuable to me at the time to embrace although I must admit I was tempted on more than one occasion. She had no empathy with suffering and she was turning her gang towards more and more violence. I despised that“

McCullum glanced at the Dr, who was so pragmatic and methodical in who he chose to kill. Never an innocent life taken, never a death regretted. He hoped he could follow his example. 

"Yeah, she’d been starting to threaten my boys, telling them it was her territory and didn’t want anyone else coming in and trying to take over. Shot at a couple, wounding one of the recruits. That was after my lot had killed two skals in a warehouse claimed by the damned gang! I may not be the leader but I still watch out for them. When I drained her, she still thought her gang would come after me, but nothings happened. They in fact, stay the fuck away from where she was killed. Think it’s cursed or something. That was her lover, Booth’s influence. See he knows what killed her. Doesn’t know it was me but knows it was a leech. That’s why he quit the gang and only works during the day.”

Jonathan nodded in agreement, Edwina had been an element he wished he’d taken care off himself, but at the time was the only source of good ammunition that he needed to fight the disaster about the happen. She was a vicious as her husband Cray and he’d been the first human to be embraced by Jonathan after his sister.

As for Booth, he'd told the Dr that he had seen a monster before and it had scared him. Seeing his lover drained of blood must have been the last straw for staying in the gang.

"Well I’m sure the gang will continue their infighting until a new top dog appears. I know you are not keen on taking human life but you seem to have helped this district a lot. Many more people out at night now. This area used to be somewhat of a ghost town. That Rufus boy I spoke to just now would never go far from the house he stayed in, now he runs errands for Tom around the docks. He feels safe enough to do so, that’s thanks to you. Come on we need to sustain ourselves. This beast account sounds interesting, As much as I prefer not to go to Southwalk, it sounds like a promising lead. Shall we head there first?”

McCullum silently thanked Jonathan for his understanding and they walked the rest of the way over the bridge in comfortable silence. As they were about to step out the door of the stairwell, McCullum suddenly paused and stuck his hand out to stop Jonathan, then carefully peered round the doorway to see what was there he'd sensed. 

"A patrol, Priwen? Not supposed to be here tonight according to the rota I was given. Chaplain, enforcer and a cadet. Don’t recognise the cadet but that Chaplain is Barker and the enforcer, Evans. Shit, always been a problem sort those two. Swansea called me a fanatic, but those two truly are. Barker's more like my mentor Carl than I ever was and Evans is a bloodthirsty thug. And why am I not surprised, looks like they’ve gone rogue, they haven’t got the Priwen armbands on and seems they’ve taken some poor cadet with them in what ever they’re doing. Will be a problem for you. Might even be a problem for me. Barker doesn’t like that I told everyone to not to attack you and that I put Kat in charge”.

Jonathan leaned in, over Geoffrey’s shoulder and whispered. 

“What do The Priwen do to those who disobey orders? In the army they would have been court-martialed but I take it you don’t have a system like that, by the way you are acting now. You’ve not seen this before. I hate to break this to you, but I have. I’ve seen guards steal off innocent folk, threaten them and perhaps worse. In every organisation there will be those who simply enjoy violence and those who take things too far. I saw it far too often in the war. Plus I’ve always found those who are the chaplains to be sinister, using a crucifix as a weapon.”

McCullum leaned his head against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, thinking what to do. 

"I don’t know, I don’t know, SHIT!. I don’t want to harm the ones I swore to lead but this, this doesn’t feel right. I’ll have to talk to them, see what they have to say for themselves. You stay here and wait for my signal.” 

Geoffrey pushed Jonathan back into the shadow of the stairwell and strode out as if he was simply out for a night stroll. 

“Evening Barker, Evans, got a call out did you? Seems pretty quiet tonight but you looked geared up for war. What’s with the uniform, or lack of a certain piece anyway?”

The three men turned suddenly at the sound of the voice, the cadet looking at McCullum and nodding in deference before glancing at his arm then the other two men, suddenly realising what may be happening. 

Evans snorted behind his scarf and nudged Barker in the shoulder, who simply gripped his crucifix staff harder with both hands. 

“Well look if it isn’t our illustrious former leader and coward. Going to visit some other leeches we shouldn’t touch? What happened McCullum? How you gone so fucking soft on us? We thought we had a leader, One who thought the way we did, thought it was our duty to put leeches to the torch. But no, you order us to leave one alone, let him go multiple times and now you put some bitch in charge and we’re supposed to follow her. She's been telling us to look out for people too. Well we do, McCullum, by killing leeches. If people are dumb enough to come out at night well that’s on them. And if they do we make sure they pay us for protection. I know you’ve taken off the dead, don’t act so innocent. We just keep them alive and take from them instead. Sometimes they are very grateful indeed in aiding our glorious mission, other times they need a bit of convincing. So we take them to a leech nest, show them what we protect them against and they soon pay up in gratitude…mostly“ 

Evans dropped his scarf from his mouth and spat at the ground near McCullum, who hadn’t moved an inch whilst Evans ranted, simply watching as Barker became wound tighter and tighter and the young cadet who slowly, ever so slowly moved away from the other two. 

“Oh boys, you are such a disappointment to me. I knew we had some arseholes in the Guard, we couldn’t be too picky during the epidemic, anyone wanting to fight could. Most ended up dead but you two seemed to have survived through it all unfortunately. I always thought the worst things out at night were leeches, but it seems plenty of humans are far worse. I cant let you continue this, you sully the good name of the Guard.” 

Barker, who’d been quietly seething, removed his face guard to let McCullum see his disgust and with a booming voice, shouted, 

"McCullum, you’re the one whose brought down the guard. We have gone weak because of you! Just because the epidemic is over, doesn’t mean this place isn’t clean, in fact filth is everywhere! We will purify this area of ALL leeches as the great Carl Eldritch taught, Even if that means removing those who would fall to tainted one’s bites. Those that do not heed our protection will be cleansed for they are not worthy of us!! You do not heed his teachings, you have forsaken the Guard. You are a threat. We remove you and the queer harlot you’ve put in your place and we can bring the Priwen back to glory!” 

Evans went fire his flaming crossbow at their former leader, when suddenly McCullum shadow-stepped towards him and ripped at his now exposed throat with long claws, then caught Barker up in a frozen form as his blood oozed from his body. 

Jonathan knew this was his queue as he’d been watching the whole time from the darkness. He flew out from the doorway and straight at the cadet who was shaking at the sight before him. He quickly knocked him out before turning towards the infuriated Barker who had recovered from the attack and was about to use his crucifix on McCullum. 

“ You’re a damned leech!!!! A god forsaken demon of the night..I will take your head and present it to the guard!!! Know they’ve been led by a foul blood sucker all this time! They’ll follow me and we will purge this city of the filth you’ve let run rampant!!”

Before he could slam his cross down, Jonathan used the shadows to force a spear of it into Barker, who flew into the air suspended by the impalement, then focused on Evans using his cudgel to stun the man, before biting into his throat with his fangs and drinking deeply of the thug’s blood.

McCullum stabbed at the suspended Barker and when the shadows fell, he grabbed the chaplain’s chin with one hand whilst grabbing the man’s cross carrying hand with the other, forcing him to drop it. 

“Aye, I am a leech; but I’m still a better bloody man than you’ll ever be.”

He then sunk his fangs into the rogue chaplain’s throat, draining him dry. Dropping the body, McCullum wailed and slumped to his knees in utter despair. What had he done?….he’d just killed two of the Guard. People he’d sworn to protect and guide. Had he fallen so far? 

Jonathan dropped the dead Evans and went over to the cadet who was coming around slowly. He gently helped the man up and looked into his eyes. 

“**What is your name recruit**?”

“...Andrew...Andrew Woodbead...” The recruit stuttered looking around dazed and unfocused before he clapped eyes on the two dead men in front of him, then McCullum on his knees and he froze in terror. His eyes now locked onto Jonathan. 

“ Woodbead? Hmmm. **Andrew** Focus on me. What you think you saw, didn’t happen. You just witnessed your two fellow Guard get attacked by the Wet Boot boys for what they were doing here and saw them both get killed. You saw your former leader Mr McCullum try to save them but he arrived too late. You only managed to escape thanks to him. Now return to the guard headquarters, tell them what happened here and make your excuses that you are not suited for this life and return to your father. He’s waiting for you. You do not have to prove anything to him, he loves you.”

Andrew vigorously nodded and picked up his sword he’d dropped, looked over at McCullum, stammered his thanks and ran as fast as he could towards the bridge stairwell, soon disappearing from Jonathan's senses. The Dr dashed over to his progeny and knelt in front of him though McCullum kept his head bowed and Jonathan could tell there were tears in his eyes. 

“There was nothing else you could have done. They didn’t know you were a vampire before they attacked! I could feel their anger and hatred come off them in waves, they wanted to kill you as the mortal man they thought you were. You had no choice but to stop them. If the Wet Boot Boys had caught onto the extortion they were doing and believe me they would have, it would have brought war between your former comrades and the gang. I know you didn’t want to ever attack your own, but these are exactly the type of people we do take out to protect this city. They left the guard the moment they stopped wearing their insignia and they signed their death warrants the moment they attacked you.”

He slowly lifted McCullum off the wet sand bank and gripped both his shoulders. 

"Look at me Geoffrey. LOOK AT ME Progeny!”

McCullum lifted his head, his eyes blood shot with red tears, a grimace on his face at the hate and disgust he felt. Jonathan in that moment felt nothing but sorrow for his progeny’s plight as he felt Geoffrey consider giving himself up to the Priwen for what he just did. 

“YOU…HAD…TO…DO…THIS. They were a tumour in the guard. It would have festered and grown possibly splintering the organisation and making life hell for people here. The other one; that cadet Andrew, is ok. I’ve met his father, he’ll be fine. I don’t think he really had any part in the other’s two’s racket. You must snap out of this. Nothing good will come of your dark thoughts right now. Now come on, we still have to find this beast right?” 

McCullum took a deep breath and snorted, shaking his shoulders to release Jonathan’s grip and picked up Johnson’s body before throwing it in the river, then did the same to Evan’s corpse. He spat at both of them before patting Jonathan’s shoulder roughly and heading further into Southwalk. Jonathan looked at his progeny concerned, before following McCullum into the nearest open factory. This had been where he had fled after his rebirth, running into various Priwen as they tried to hunt him down. To his left was the first safe house he’d come across and he sighed at the memory as he caught up with McCullum who had already found a sewer beast and was engaging with it. Jonathan held back and watched as McCullum took all his anger out on the beast, using sword, crossbow, claws and fangs to shred the creature to a blood mess. As much as he wanted to assist he knew this was McCullum’s way of working through his rage. As the beast sank to it’s knees, McCullum waved Jonathan over. 

“Finish it off, I’m done here” Then he shadow-stepped up to a walkway above and lent back against a wall, his eyes closing. 

Jonathan swept over to the beast and finished it off by drinking it dry then jumped up to where McCullum was and lent next to him, putting a hand on the other’s shoulder; the only way he felt to comfort his progeny that McCullum might understand right now. McCullum let out a sigh and opened his eyes before looking up at nothing in particular. 

“I’ll have to tell Kat you know…soon. The truth of what happened to those bastards. Look towards the door we came through Reid, on the floor, there's a body there of a man who shouldn't be here. Not a worker. Just a citizen. They must have brought him to this beast to get him to pay them. But he looks like he didn't have a penny to his name so they let the beast have him. I cant believe I was so blind, to let scum like that join the organisation. I’ll have to keep a closer eye on them now, make sure there aren’t any more of them. Your right Reid. They are a tumour, a fucking cancer and I will cut them out. Thank you for what you said back there. I'm alright ...I just have to be alone right now. You best make your way home before the sun starts to rise. I’ll be alright Reid, I just need some time.”

Jonathan lowered his hand, his progeny felt much calmer as if seeing that poor victim had been the justification he needed to what he'd just done. The dawn wasn't far off it was true and the Dr needed to get back to Pembroke to check in on Dr Swansea and a few patients. 

“I understand, just take it easy alright? Rest. I’ll catch up with you soon." With one last look back at McCullum who tightly smiled his thanks, Jonathan disappeared into black smoke and dashed away into the foggy darkness. 

McCullum wiped his hands roughly over his face before slowly heading back towards his own home after checking the dead victim for a wallet or form of identification, which he didn't have; either stolen or never owned, the poor wretch. How could members of the Guard stoop so low as to use the monsters they swore to kill or torture people into giving them money. Now he had nothing but time to think that one over.

He wished he hadn’t told Reid to leave. The moment he did, McCullum felt empty and wished he were still human to go to the Turtle and drink himself to forget. But that was out of the question now. No he had to remember what had happened, what could have happened had they not come across those men sooner. What Reid had done to help him come to terms with his guilt. He was glad he’d been there by his side. He knew then, he enjoyed having Reid around more so than he cared to admit.


	4. The Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan visit's Charlotte Ashbury to tell her the news of her mother's passing. Charlotte's reaction was not unexpected.

* * *

Jonathan returned to the Pembroke and couldn't wait to disappear into his office, truth be told. Dr Edgar Swansea had caught him just before he'd reached his room, asking where Dr Reid had been. Oddly Edgar did not sense any of Jonathan's feelings or thoughts, like his other progeny, Geoffrey did. Jonathan knew he'd grown able to control what he broadcast with his mind and was happy to be more of an open book to Geoffrey in the hopes of earning more of the man's trust. Perhaps Jonathan's distaste for Swansea's lack of ethics before had been enough for Jonathan to block him. He still didn't truly trust him and his obvious dislike for Geoffrey meant Jonathan didn't care to share with Swansea his private life. It must upset Edgar to not hear his progeny's thoughts, something he'd probably read about many times in various Brotherhood documents. He wondered if that's why Edgar was behaving oddly when Jonathan wasn't around.

He'd been checking with the other doctors, nurses and patients as to how Swansea was behaving 'since his kidnapping' and there were elements that didn't sit right with Jonathan. Swansea would often disappear to the loft space for hours at a time, then hide in his room not answering to anyone unless it was an emergency. He feared he would have to deal with Swansea eventually once the hospital was back to full strength. But right now the sun was rising and he needed rest as he knew the next person he planned to visit, he'd need all his energy to cope. So he simply told Edgar he'd been out visiting patients in the districts as he used to and had been home visiting his elderly mother. That seemed to placate the Dr, but not enough for Swansea to not look back on Jonathan as he closed the door, with a look of loss in his face.

As dusk descended Jonathan awoke and left through his office platform into the night, heading straight to where he believed Charlotte Ashbury lived. Finding her home had been rather easy as she had begun wearing the same perfume her mother used to wear. It had surprised him and also saddened him to be reminded of her scent. He found the home not far from where she liked to stand of a night, proclaiming the suffragette’s ideals. It was situated in a quite courtyard not far from his own home. It looked a small abode, part of a much larger building that had been converted into smaller flats that had luckily been spared damage during the epidemic, although many of the flats near to hers were empty. Being an apartment block, It had been easy to gain access via simply asking the concierge to open the door and let him in. He walked slowly to her front door on the second floor of the building and knocked briefly. 

Charlotte opened the door and stood there for a moment, her eyes blood shot as if from crying and looking rather surprised to see Jonathan again. She seemed worried at why he would visit her at her home. She had received a letter from a solicitor a week ago telling her she had been bequeathed her mother’s entire estates plus her various bank accounts deposits. That her mother had passed on and left everything to her, but didn’t mention anything else. There was never any accompanying letter stating cause of ‘death’ or one from her mother herself explaining anything. Her world had been thrown into chaos, Not knowing what had happened or why, her mother, the only person she truly cared for, had simply upped and vanished. So she looked at the Dr and silently invited him in, hoping he might give her the answers she sought and perhaps something more.

Her home screamed modernity with the latest fashions and none of the classic looks of her mother’s tastes. The home was filled with boxes full of pamphlets and newspaper articles that were like a road map to her struggle for women’s suffrage. On a desk In the living room was various papers sent to her by Elizabeth’s solicitors.

As Jonathan sat down with her in her living room, he knew what he had to tell her was hard but it was so much harder than he thought to find the words. She had a desperate pleading in her eyes that asked for none of it to be real yet the rest of her features was stone cold, a tried and true practice she had developed so as not to become too emotional In front of men, lest it weaken her argument. He took a deep breath and began,  
  
“...And after beheading William Marshall, she knew she couldn’t exist with the tainted blood within her. What if someone found out and used it as a weapon? What if she fell to it and turned others and begot another Disaster? I tried to stop her, begged her to stay and for me to try and find a cure but she was so guilt stricken with what had happened she couldn’t risk it. She pushed me back and walked into the flames. I cried out as I watched her walk into the fire. I grieved for hours. When I finally stood again I vowed to honour her sacrifice, I took some portraits of her which are for you and then I set the rest of the castle on fire to make sure no trace of her and William’s blood remained.” 

  
Jonathan looked up pensively from the tea he was holding and waited for Charlotte to say something, the moment stretched on forever as she stared at the wall, until she broke the silence. 

“ So now I finally know. It was so like her to keep me out of so much of her life, let it ruin what I thought of her. But all that you told me would have made me love and understand her more, not less. I truly grieve for her passing, I have spent the last week in nothing but sorrow at my loss, but after what you now tell me, I always knew my mother held secrets of her past, her long time spent on this earth, but I never truly understood why she refused to make me her progeny, Now I realise why. I think she always knew her blood was cursed, deep down. It’s why she adopted daughters instead. I found she had one other before me, I know now their name and where they are buried after they grew old and died. My mind has become set with this news. I do not wish to be another. Now I have the money and I’ve inherited her title, even though the castle is gone the land remains under it as well as her house here. Now I just need the power, the strength you have to fight for what I believe in. You know what I refer to Dr Reid. I will not stop, will not give in until I am made an ekon like you.” 

She paused, her eyes moving to focus directly on Reid. 

“ ...I want you to do it Dr Reid. You told me you have an ancient maker, your blood is powerful, surely it cannot fail with me. "   
  
Jonathan put his teacup on the table for his hands were shaking, he had feared this would be her response and knew her determination she had learnt from her mother. She would not stop, he knew that and that she may make a grievous error of asking the wrong Ekon to turn her, if he didn’t agree to it. But oh what would Elizabeth think, would her accusation of betrayal be more just? He closed his eyes and smoothed his hand over his beard.  
  
"I had a terrible feeling you would ask this of me and I had much time to think when I travelled back here about how I would respond if you did. I played argument against argument of how to convince you otherwise and each time it ended with tragedy. So, I reluctantly agree to your request. But, I do not do this because I want to Miss Charlotte, but because I know if I don’t, you will find another and I cant risk your safety. If I do this, I must have time to prepare. I believe though study, I can find out if your body, your blood, would accept mine. If I take a sample of your blood and mix it with mine I can test for any reaction that may occur. It may give me a better understanding of how vampires turn others and maybe, just maybe minimise the risk of you rejecting my blood. But know this Charlotte, I do not do this eagerly and with joy in my heart.” 

  
Charlotte stood at those words and reached over to Jonathan making him stand up and hugged him into a tight embrace.

"Thank you dear Dr Reid. You wont regret it I promise. I will follow your instructions and guidance but I will be my own woman with my own thoughts still. Now please do what you must.” 

She removed her jacket and then sat again rolling up the sleeve of her blouse to allow Jonathan to take some of her blood. She watched as the red liquid ran into the metal cylinder and wondered what it would feel like to have his fangs puncture her skin like the needle had. Would it hurt the same or would it feel entirely different?

Jonathan watched her eyes as her took the blood sample, noting how she studied the blood in the syringe. After he had taken enough, he removed the needle, applied a cotton swab to the puncture point and safely stored the syringe in a case in his coat pocket.

As she looked up at him and smiled warmly, he was suddenly reminded of Elizabeth. The same steely determination, the same kind voice of comfort and yet Charlotte had a much warmer, gentler disposition, one that easier settled people as she spoke. He had seen the crowds she gathered each evening as she pronounced the goals of the suffrage movement. She could be a force of nature once turned, whoa betide her enemies. As he got up to leave she grasped his hands and held them, looking into his silvery blue grey eyes with her deep brown ones.  
  
"Again Dr Reid, thank you, I promise you, you wont regret this. If your tests prove it a viable option then I look forward to next seeing you. Please let me know in advance so I may prepare and thank you for bringing me the news of my mother. Knowing the full story has set my mind at ease and allowed me to bring that chapter of my life to a close.”  
  
Jonathan looked at her, a warm sad smile spreading across his face,“I cannot say you are most welcome, but I understand your desire. Please, if I am to be your sire then call me Jonathan.” 

With that he stepped out of her apartment and left into the cold night air. One thought on his mind. I must talk to someone and he knew it couldn’t be Edgar.


	5. A Serendipitous Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> McCullum gets an unexpected visitor who knows his secret.
> 
> edit- altered up some dialogue i wasnt happy with when reread so should read a little better now.

* * *

McCullum sat on his bed, contemplating his next move. In his home that was really just a converted office at the top of a large warehouse. He had done a few favours for the owner over the years, including cleaning the place out of skals that had infested it during the war and as such, he was allowed to stay free of charge there, in return for keeping it that way. It also allowed him to enter and leave without going downstairs as there were plenty of platforms leading to loading bays high up. McCullum could jump up to the roof and watch the street below each night or flit between buildings as he travelled across the city.

He felt he could no longer stay in any of the buildings the Priwen occupied, especially not their headquarters. Even after he had passed off leadership, many were sad he decided to leave the organisation as well. Some wondered for his health but none realised his health was a very different thing none. None but one. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. He wasn’t expecting anyone, so he used his senses to see who it was behind it and shook his head, smiling, ‘Katherine Morgan here to see me.’ Walking over to the door he opened it,  
  
”Hello Kat, what brings you to my humble abode?”

  
“Can’t a friend visit you, or are you wallowing in a lone eternity now?” the woman quipped as she strode in, dumping her armoured coat on the arm of the couch before casually sitting down. McCullum closed his door and walked to his desk chair, sitting down behind the desk and leaning to the side to open the drawer. He pulled out a shot glass and some whisky and poured the new Priwen leader a shot.

  
”I cant drink this now, but seems a damn shame to waste it, would you have some for me, for old times sake?” He slid the filled glass over to her, which she took and downed straight away.

  
  
"Oh you know me, never pass up a free drink, especially not when it’s the good shit.” She cracked in her south London lilt as she slammed the glass back down with a flourish.

“So are you here to just drink my booze or for something else? " McCullum asked, shifting slightly in his chair. He cared for Kat, she had had his back so many times he’d lost count. She even brought many of his belongings here in a Priwen truck when he moved. But she was now leader of The Guard and he was an ekon. One she knew.

  
  
”Just here to give you the next weeks rotas so you don’t run into us whilst being leechy like.” She dramatically whispered the last part like she was on a stage.

McCullum sat forward then, taking the rota list from her hands and resting his elbows on the desk. 

“That night when I told you what I was, I fully expected you to run me out of the headquarters, chase me down and try to take me out. I didn’t expect you to accept it so well or at all! I’d put my weapons on the table, asked you to sit like you are now and when I dropped my glamour and showed you my true appearance, you did nothing. Just leant forward and studied my face. Then you bloody well told me you already knew! That you’d seen me hunt that night in the cemetery with Dr Reid, watched as I turned to smoke in one place and reappeared in another, as I sunk my fangs into a Skal until it fell limp in my hands. I was expecting you to be shocked but it was me that was bloody well shocked!”

Kat laughed as she poured herself another glass of whisky, and leant back on the couch.

“Frankly mate, I was gob-smacked. Luckily I was on my own as I’d just said some words at my nan’s grave. I must have sat and watched you for about an hour. I’m surprised you never saw me. But you seemed far too focused on that Reid fella after fighting off over three skal and a sewer beast together! When you told me he was your sire and why and when he turned you, it all made sense. You’d told us to leave him alone well before he did turned you, said if anyone was to take him down it would be you and you alone. That you needed questions answered and would get them one way or the other. Well I doubt you expected that ‘other’ way, but did you get the answers you sought?”

She downed the whisky and stared at him then, the same intent gaze she had used when she first studied his ekon features. McCullum, sat back in his seat. He still had many questions that needed an answer. 

“Aye, mostly. Though now Reid is back I can get him to answer many more. When he buggered off to do the thing that fixed the skal epidemic I was on my own. Didn’t know what to do. Had to work out how to be what I am by myself. As you know Kat, I’m a resourceful man. But you still haven’t answered my question. Why didn’t you do what I’d trained you to do and try and kill me?” 

Kat closed her eyes and lowered her head as if trying to find the right words to reply with. Opening them again, she slowly stood up and moved around to where Geoffrey sat. Perching herself on the desk edge she looked down at him. 

“Part of me wanted to Geoffrey, needed to end you. You were a damn leech who knew all the Priwen’s secrets. You could be our worst enemy. But you told me you had been turned for over a fortnight before you showed yourself to me. A fortnight of doing none of us any harm and leading us as you always had. You told me Dr Reid was a decent man for a leech and that he had done great things to save the city. That you respected him, even if you wanted to curse his name for what he did to you. In truth, you actually wanted to thank him for giving you the ability to be the best hunter there was. After seeing you in the cemetery and knowing what you were, I tailed you when you went out on solo patrol. Saw you take on ekon and skal and other beasts. Saw you save good folk from scum that we never bothered to fight. When i saw you feed on one of them though, It shocked me at first, but then I witnessed that prostitute you saved in Whitechapel, thanking you, for saving her from being murdered, I understood what you were doing. That’s when I knew. If that Reid can be a decent ekon, then so can the one he made. Knew you wouldn't be an asshole like those shits in the Ascalon club or the feral beasts we both hunt down.” 

she put her hand over his that rested on the table, “So your secret is safe with me, I wont tell a soul unless you tell me too. I’m happy you chose me to replace you, but you are missed. You should visit one night. No one would be any wiser coming then, it’s when we patrol after all. You have this uncanny knack of looking just as you did before, Not even our chaplain’s can spot your leechyness so it wouldn’t be a risk and I know you can control yourself.”

“Ah now Kat don’t go all gooey eyed on me, anyway I could never be one of those poncy gits, I don’t have the accent.” McCullum joked. Katherine was like an adopted daughter to him, she was young, feisty and took no bullshit from anyone. She reminded him of himself when he was young. But he had no romantic feelings for her.

“It’s alright boss, it’s not like that, you got too much going on between your legs to interest me, if you know what I mean,” She winked, as she stood up and went to grab her coat. McCullum reached for her and held her arm.

“Wait Kat! I….. need to tell you something. It’s about the Priwen. You know those two who always caused trouble round the guard. Provoking me when I was in charge or just being absolute bastards?”

Kat instantly knew who he meant, “Evans and Barker? Yeah they didn’t like me one little bit and that Barker gave me the creeps, always making comments about my lack of interest in the men there. Don’t worry about them, they got taken out by that gang in the docks.”

McCullum sighed and looked at Kat. “I Came across them two nights back. They were hurting people Kat. They did some seriously bad things. Extortion, I think they killed people. I, I had to stop them. They tried to kill me.”

Kat leant down and reached over to McCullum “What? Did they know? Know what you are?

McCullum shook his head, no it was worse “No, Not until I attacked them when they were going to kill me for being ‘ a threat’ to the ‘Glory of the Guard’. They planned to take you out too and form a coup. I just, I just never thought I’d be killing members of the Guard Kat.”

Kat squeezed his hand, her crop of blonde hair falling into her face, which she blew back with a puff of air, “If any consolation, I was going to kick them out, too much trouble. But they left a few days before I’d come back from a long patrol. Took one of the cadets with them. He was the one who told me they were dead. Rushed back to headquarters as if he’d seen the devil, told us then quit on the spot and left. Shit! They were going to try and kill me? Ha, I'd liked to have seen them try! So you managed to take out two of the nastiest bunch by yourself without touching the cadet? How?”

McCullum smiled, his own saviour was with him that night. “Reid was with me. He saved the rookie and helped me. I owe him a lot. For a second after I’d killed them, I thought about walking into the headquarters and revealing myself for what I was. He snapped me out of it. I haven’t told him what I was feeling that moment, but I think he knew the way he looked at me. I know he’d felt similar feelings once.”

Kat rose then and patted Geoffrey on his shoulder, “Glad he’s got your back. You need a friend like that. You had them in the Guard and I’ll always be there for you when I can, but you need someone, whose like you, you know.” 

She made her way to the door, looking back at McCullum, who looked both surprised and relieved.

“Thanks for telling me the truth of what happened to those gits Geoffrey. I’ll be sure to pay close attention to any they associated with. Now I really have to go. I’ll give your best to the boys. Give my regards to Dr Reid if you see him!” 

As she opened the door to leave, she was stopped in her tracks by Dr Reid himself who had just materialised on the platform ledge in the corridor outside.  
  
"Well speak of the devil and he shall appear! Good evening Dr Reid. Names Katherine Morgan, pleasure to finally meet you. I hope we never meet in more hostile circumstances where my boys have to hunt you down. You best be a good Dr and take care of the old man back there.“ 

With that she waved her hand behind her and walked off down the stairs, whistling happily to herself.

“Aye, Not so much of the old man, Kat! I’m still younger than you by a year, even after my change.” McCullum called back with a chuckle, before beckoning a bemused Dr Reid into his home.

“Well I guess you had to meet her sometime. That’s Kat, the new Priwen leader. Different aint she?”  
  
”She certainly is” Replied Jonathan as he took in McCullum’s abode. It was simple, which made sense since it used to be an office. It had no windows bar one looking down into the warehouse and one next to the door, which were both covered by thick black curtains. On the floor was a old but clean Ottoman rug over bare wooden boards and his weapons hung on a rack on the wall in front of a wooden partition to what he could only assume was McCullum’s bedroom and wash area. A small workbench sat underneath the wall rack to allow him to maintain his weapons and a large wooden desk sat in front of that with a office chair behind it and a small couch nestled up against the wall.

_Cosy_ was Jonathan’s first thought, which McCullum heard quite clearly.

“Did you come here to check out my lair Reid?” he said with a flourish of his hands."How …how did you even know where it was?”

“You forget progeny, I can sense you. I knew you had some place here in the docks but never thought it would be in a warehouse. it suits you actually. Then again I never thought I’d live mostly in a hospital office either. But no, I didn’t come here for that. I came to ask your advice.” Jonathan sat down on the couch, his hands clasped together resting on his knees, and before McCullum could say anything, he continued, “I find myself in a rather delicate situation. I don’t know if I told you but my dear friend Elizabeth Ashbury had an adopted mortal daughter called Charlotte. Elizabeth as you know was a vampire but she refused to turn her daughter when the latter found out about it. Charlotte is a determined woman you could say and very strong willed. Now, she has requested that I do it. If I don’t she will find another who may not be suitable at all. So I’ve told her I agree to her request but I need advice and knew i had to speak to you about it. Who better than the former Leader of the Priwen turned ekon, could advise me me on whether to turn another."

He took a long drawn out breath and looked over to where McCullum was, who just stood there with a confused look on his face. "Back it up there, you said Ashbury WAS a vampire? What happened?”  
  
Jonathan sighed, Maybe it was time to explain it to his progeny, "Long story but it turned out she was the innocent ‘healthy carrier’ of a pestilence called the Blood of Hate, created by the apparent mother of all vampires; The Morrigan. That’s what turned Harriet Jones and Doris Fletcher-Jones into the disaster that nearly ended this city. She had been cured by her maker, William Marshall of it’s symptoms on her but she still carried it’s infection. I wanted to try and cure her of it properly, but she couldn’t handle the guilt of what her blood had done to London. Her blood that was used by Dr Swansea to try and find a cure for the Spanish flu, which in turn created the Skal epidemic. So she allowed herself to be consumed by fire after she’d beheaded her maker who also still carried the infection after his battle with The Morrigan all those centuries ago. I watched her turn to ash Geoffrey, then destroyed all evidence of them in the castle as well as any samples of her blood that was left here. It was after that, that I eventually went to her daughter to inform her of the terrible news. And that’s when Charlotte asked me to do what I just told you about” 

By now McCullum was pacing back and forth in the room, rubbing his face with his hand whilst shaking his head, stammering out each sentence as the news hit home.

  
”Swansea caused the epidemic! I knew it, that damn bastard! One day he’s gonna have a reckoning! ....... Ashbury didn’t know he used her blood? Isn’t that like a big patient - doctor no no?........ The Morrigan!!? The ancient Irish goddess of war? She is what our kind come from?........ William Marshall was alive?!! What the hell Reid!!”

Jonathan stood up and firmly took hold of McCullum by the arms to stop him and looked into his vibrant blue eyes, "Yes he did, I know Swansea feels guilt for what he did but I do think he did it with best intentions at first, though they be paved to hell. I plan to watch him closely and if he falls again I will happily let you rend justice upon him if it comes to it. Morrigan is just one of her names. She is The Red Queen, The Blood Goddess and yes I met Sir William Marshall. He had been given the same role as I, by the same maker Myrddin many centuries ago. We were his Champions that would face the Disaster and then the Red Queen each time she awoke. It’s been a never ending cycle and it will happen again one day. William sadly did not know about the Blood of Hate so when he was scratched by the Morrigan, he fell to it’s curse and hid himself away less he infect others, which he unfortunately did once to his progeny Elizabeth. That’s when, through the Brotherhood he was able to find an antidote. He was only able to make one dose and he gave it to her instead of curing himself. He hid himself away in Scotland with his progeny watching over him to protect the world from his curse.” 

He let go of McCullum’s arms exhausted and slumped back down onto the couch. McCullum gently sat down next to him and looked at his sire confounded,

  
"Bloody hell Reid. This is what you’ve been carrying since you came back isn’t it. I could feel it like a dead weight round your neck. I’m glad you confided in me about it. So now on top of all that you got this Charlotte wanting to become all leechy herself. Do you think she would be an alright one? I mean not fall to it’s vices? not become one that the guard would want to hunt down?”

  
  
Jonathan now tilted himself so he more faced his progeny, gathering his thoughts as he rested his right arm on the back of the couch. 

“To be honest I believe she would be a good one actually. Elizabeth raised her so well. She has good morals and believes in equality and respect. She says she’d want to use her powers to make this country a better place for all, and not like the Ascalon club, who believe themselves to be puppet masters of society. I think she would need guidance of course but I don’t think she would become a menace……I think……I think, I’ve just answered my own questions. Yes, I believe if we both guided her, she could be a formidable ally and friend. If you’d be willing? ”

McCullum, brought his hand to his face and rubbed his stubble, thinking to himself before answering, “Alright, if you think she wont go on a rampage, I’m in. As you said, if you don’t do this, some other ekon might and then everything could go to shit.”

Jonathan stood up and shook the still seated McCullum’s hand. “Thank you for hearing me out and that you're willing to help. Now all that remains is to test her blood with mine. To make sure as best I can that she will not reject my blood. I must return to The Pembroke at once” 

McCullum stood and gripped his sire’s arm pulling him into a heavy bear like hug before releasing and holding his arms with both hands.

  
"You’ve gone through hell Jonathan Emmet Reid, I realise that now. You’ve done everything you could to heal this city and I hounded you all the way because I was so wrapped up in what I’d been told all these years. I've been a total bastard who thought everything i knew was right. Damn you, but you opened my eyes to a new truth. I know it’s probably the blood talking but I’m here for you alright. Now go and do what you got to do, but I want to be there when you do the thing with Charlotte in case something goes wrong.” 

He let go then, smoothing down Jonathan’s coat roughly not sure if it was even helping. Jonathan could do nothing but smile at the gesture. 

“Thank you Geoffrey, I truly appreciate your candour and I reciprocate it. I am here if you need me, any questions you need answered, any ideas you want to try. I want to be a friend and a good sire, not a disembodied voice floating in your head like mine was. I’ll let you know as soon as I have the results to the tests.” 

At that, Jonathan turned, opened the door and disappeared in a black cloud. 

McCullum watched as his sire’s form flitted away into the distance before shutting and locking the door, then went to his bed to lie down. It had been a eye opening evening that’s for sure.

Kat had been fine with the two rogue Guard being taken out by him and not some gang, the fact she planned to remove them, assured him he had done the right thing in the end. still the idea of rogue Priwen worried the hell out of him.

He didn’t know what to make of this Charlotte but he had a feeling he would soon find out. So he could soon have another blood-kin, at least she sounded better than Swansea!

He was also glad Reid had finally shared his troubles with him, he’d frankly missed talking to the man, missed being able to share what he was with someone who understood. As Kat said, he needed that. But it was more, he missed his sire, though he thought that must be the connection progeny shared with their makers. No, he missed a friend, yeah Reid was a friend. One that would always be there for him.

As the the realisation dawned, he felt a warmth spread in his belly and a smile slowly formed on his face as he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So That's my o.c. character Katherine Morgan. (first name came from a character in the game i don't think i ever heard a female Priwen guard, though she did have a voice actress. Character called 'Hunter Katherine' )   
From South London, Tall and wiry frame, blonde cropped haired lesbian. Dresses like one of the boys because in her words 'you can't fight in a dress and not get it mucky and dresses cost plenty to clean' Fights with same weapons as Geoffrey did, plus has a dagger strapped to her boot. Loves Geoffrey like a family member and will do anything to protect him, include keeping his new secret.


	6. The Aphrodisiac of Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan makes a scientific discovery about how vampires turn others and has to inform Geoffrey of the news. They both start to realise they have feelings for the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the lore behind vampires not seeing their reflection is born of the fact old mirrors were backed with silver which was thought to be a pure metal that repelled vampires. Once mass production came in cheaper mirrors backed with mixed metals became popular. That is why in the game as well as here, Jonathan and Geoffrey can see their reflections, although since silver is connected to the moon i would say gold is more likely to repel vampires as it's connected to the sun in folklore and mythology. I've gone with neither of them being affected by silver at all anyway.  
I’ve also gone with the lore that vampires can telepathically communicate with each other through a blood bond. Sire to Progeny and visa versa. As well as vampires sensing the sun’s movements.
> 
> the scene with the gang knife is inspired by a gorgeous piece of art by Pickartmaster13. link to it here from the person who original commissioned it  
https://farferello.tumblr.com/image/175565859931

* * *

Jonathan dashed up to the balcony outside his office and went straight to work applying his freshly drawn blood to the sample Charlotte had given him and then watched studiously under a microscope for a reaction to occur. He witnessed as each time her blood cells would be embraced by his own and die only to spring back to life a while later with no coagulation or degradation as vampire blood.

It looked truly as if Charlotte’s body would accept the transformation but he needed to be sure. After all this had never been tested before to his knowledge. So he repeated the test again and again, trying different variants like warming or cooling the blood, or adding an outside chemical like a narcotic or alcohol, but every time the result was the same. He was amazed at how his blood cells almost acted like a predator over mortal ones, latching onto each one and enveloping them within it’s own. But when the cell was reborn, it didn’t to his ekon eyes, look like his blood, it looked like hers. Though it smelt like both of them!

He knew it now. It would work! Jonathan shuddered with the jittery energy he always felt after a new discovery. This information, he would have to write down and give to the Brotherhood for their archives. He’d not had time to think before if his blood would have been rejected when he turned Geoffrey or Edgar, it was a ‘they’ll die if you don’t’ scenario. But this is different. This would be planned. A turning with a willing healthy mortal. He had to make sure it went right, he could not afford to lose Charlotte as well as Elisabeth. With the news in hand he went over to use the Hospitals telegram machine and sent a message to Miss Ashbury. No Lady Ashbury, he corrected himself.

_\- Dear Lady Ashbury stop Test success stop Will proceed as agreed stop Please contact me to arrange suitable date and time for procedure stop Yours faithfully Dr J. Reid stop -_

Then he went out to find sustenance, a nervous anticipation building inside of him at what he was soon to do. He would bare witness to a mortal transforming into an ekon before his eyes, for there was no way he would leave her to be reborn alone. After draining two feral skal, he returned to Pembroke and went about his shifts on the wards, seeing to the many patients there, hoping it would take his mind off what the reply would state, that she was ready to become an ekon by his blood. 

One patient he always made sure was well was Thelma Hawcroft. She had a rare mental syndrome that made her believe she was a vampire. She’d once seen one and it made her mind snap somehow. When ever he examined her she’d look at him as if she knew what he truly was, yet due the syndrome she suffered, she’d never mentioned it to anyone. She would smile knowingly at him as if going along with his ruse that he was ‘simply a human doctor’, much as in her mind, she was pretending to be just a patient. He feared for her if any unsavoury ekon ever found out about her. He could imagine the sick pleasure they would take in making her a real vampire. It would completely break her or turn her into a monster in need of destroying. He shuddered at the thought. At least Thomas Elwood, a fellow patient, kept an eye on her.

Jonathan had taken to helping Thomas as well, using his ability to influence the mind. He found he could use it to ease Thomas from experiencing the phantom pains in his body. He was responding well to treatment and the other doctors who had pretty much given up on him were impressed. Of course Jonathan would explain the treatment to them as a form of hypnotism but never went into too much detail. The fact it it was working and Thomas complained much less of the pain ‘under the scars’ meant no one really pushed on it. One day he might even accept surgery to help the real scars. 

After the second long shift in two days, Jonathan made his way back to his office room, locked the door and promptly fell asleep. He woke to find an envelope had been pushed under his door. Inside was a handwritten letter - 

_Dear Dr Reid,_

_You cannot imagine my relief and happiness of the tests success. I have prepared this coming Friday evening as the time of the procedure. Please arrive at 11pm at my mother’s residence. I feel this location as far more suitable than my small flat as it is detached from any other property and thus no attention will be brought to our endeavours._

_Thank you again Jonathan._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Lady Charlotte Ashbury._

  
  
Friday was the next night, so after another rather long shift though the night, he told Edgar he would be away for the weekend on research business, for he cared not to tell him of the truth, then grabbed his medical bag, adding to it with what he thought he might need and left to head to McCullum’s residence to inform him of the news as promised. He knew dawn would break soon but he couldn’t wait. He was so excited to share the news of his discovery, his whole body thrummed with anticipation. Medical science had not stopped being like a drug for him. The thrill of a new discovery or medical breakthrough always gave him such a buzz. He chased the sunrise to arrive just before it was breaking over the tall buildings around the docks. Banging loudly on McCullum’s door he hid himself in the shadow of the platform entrance to avoid the sunlight slowly creeping across the floor. _why does he have a platform right next to his door_ he thought as said door creaked open and a half dressed, just woken McCullum peered out.  
  
"Reid? Is that you? What are you doing here?……..Wait. Did the tests work?Are you going to make that Charlotte a leech then?” 

“Ekon, Geoffrey, I wish you would use that term and yes, the tests worked but can I please come in before I start to smoke?” Jonathan briskly yelled from the remaining shadowed area as he waved out a hand that started to sizzle in the sunlight. 

“Dammit Reid, get inside now!” Yelled McCullum, who reached out and grabbed the burning hand in front of him, pulling Jonathan swiftly inside and slamming the door shut. 

As they both shook their smoking hands, Jonathan grabbed Geoffrey’s arm and exclaimed, “The tests really work Geoffrey! I witnessed my blood transform hers before my eyes. I saw my blood become hers but I could still recognise mine too! That’s the connection, how I can sense you. Our blood becomes one and yet each progeny is unique still. Like taking cuttings of a plant. Same plant but each cutting is it’s own individual!”  
  
”This what you’re like when you do that medical stuff? Like you had too much good coffee? "McCullum chuckled as he patted his hand on the excited Jonathan’s shoulder. “So we’re ready then. When does it happen?” 

“Tonight at 11pm. I believe she will be spending the day putting her final affairs in order so as to transition to a night life of work. She has inherited her mother’s title and estate and wishes for her rebirth to be at her mother’s house. You probably know where that is considering.” Jonathan replied as he sat himself down on the couch, trying to calm his nerves but failing abysmally. 

“Aye I do. We monitored her house for many years but never saw her make a single act that would warrant action from us. If she did anything, it was behind closed doors. Funny thing is she matched the description of an ekon called Elisabeth Blackwood who was on our hit list, but there is no way that was the same leech...Unless, was that what that Blood of Hate did to her? Turned her into a sadistic killing machine? Fucking hell Reid!” 

Realising who she had been before, so close to their headquarters, McCullum grabbed the bottle of whisky and a glass from under his desk and poured a shot, before realising his mistake and inhaling deeply instead, desperate to get a hint of what he desired in the glass.

“God I miss not being able to drink this.”

  
  
"A… tiny amount on your tongue wont harm you. But not too much, our bodies cannot handle it.” 

Replied Jonathan in his most practised doctor like voice. He had just realised Geoffrey was in nothing but his trousers and a vest and found the sight rather distracting. Jonathan couldn’t help but look over him. Geoffrey’s hair was mussed from sleep and tendrils fell over his forehead. He had the build of a gladiator, defined and muscled arms from years of fighting and a chest that was broad but lean, a body that would always remain that way now, thanks to ekon immortality freezing the person in the moment of their turning. Jonathan swallowed hard and tried to concentrate but his thoughts were making that difficult. 

“Yeah, found that out the hard way the night just after we spoke in the cemetery Johnny boy.” McCullum gestured wildly, not noticing the icy eyes staring at him. 

“Went to the Turquoise Turtle to take my mind off our meeting and I’ve never thrown up so hard in all my life. Good job I was alone down by the river as I threw up blood too, anyone looking would think I was dying right there and then! Made a damn mess of myself too. But this tiny bit on the tongue, it really wont fuck me up?" 

Jonathan couldn’t help himself, he motioned slowly with his hand, “Dip your thumb or finger into the whisky then press it onto your tongue. Our enhanced abilities will experience the taste and reaction to the alcohol very strongly, I’ve been able to enjoy a brandy or wine that way myself.”

McCullum did as shown and brought his dipped thumb onto his tongue, The vanilla and spice flavour of the 40 year old bottle of Irish whisky assaulted his taste buds, the familiar taste was heaven sent, McCullum could do nothing but close his eyes and loudly sigh with the pleasure of it. 

Pupils dilating under hooded eyes, Jonathan tilted his head and grinned wolfishly. It was a rather pleasant sight to see McCullum express such a wanton reaction, especially in his state of undress. His thoughts lingered on how he would react to drinking his sire’s blood or blood of a mortal who’d drunk liquor. An experiment for another time perhaps.

As McCullum came down off his brief high, he lolled his head over to the side to look at Jonathan, "Dr Jonathan Emmet Reid, why didn’t you tell me this sooner! I could kiss you! You glorious bastard!”

“Go on then, but not before you pour me a glass of that! ” Replied Jonathan, a little huskily “I feel like celebrating a recent discovery”

Though he wasn’t sure which discovery he was referring to. McCullum bellowed a laugh, not noticing Jonathan’s reaction and bent over his desk. He grabbed another shot glass and poured a little whisky into it, then went to hand it to his sire who he’d found had risen and was standing right next to him.

“Eager are we?” He stuttered, handing the glass over. “A ‘night cap’ so to speak before we rest yeah. Got a big night ahead of you, don’t want to mess it up now do you?”

“No, no I don’t. I’m glad you will be with me....... and that you’re willing to help Charlotte adjust ” Jonathan whispered as he moved ever so slightly closer. He lifted his dipped thumb to his open mouth and poked out his tongue slightly, pressing his thumb down gently onto it. Geoffrey was right this was a damn fine whisky to enjoy, the warm burn on his tongue coupled with the flavours was immensely enjoyable. It made his prominent fangs tingle. Briefly closing his eyes he opened them again on an entranced Geoffrey.  
  
"Is that how I looked when I did this?” he asked, blushing slightly. 

“No, better ” Jonathan said with a smirk, before swiftly grabbing the bottle off the desk, sealing it and putting it into his medical bag. “I think Charlotte should have some of this before, you know. A last human drink, might settle any nerves she has.” 

Coughing lightly McCullum raised his eyebrows and gestured his agreement, He didn’t have a problem with how close Jonathan had got to him and he felt slightly awkward. He needed to change the subject fast. 

“So, What’s the plan tonight, how do you want to do the deed?”

  
Jonathan looked at him, nonchalantly licking the last smear of whisky off his thumb, as he recounted what he had thought up whilst rushing here.

“Well, the best way I found is her own blood will have to be drained a bit, it allows for my blood to overwhelm hers faster so the process isn’t as slow and painful. I want to make her as comfortable as possible in the transition although there will be pain, there is no getting round that. The heart slows and stops and the body natural fights it. I know you know, which I’m so sorry again for leaving you to that. That’s why I think the whisky may help a little. I believe it then takes about two hours or so before the person reawakens. That’s around how long it took you I believe. Once her heart stops we can do nothing except wait.”

He nodded to himself, as if agreeing with what he just said, losing eye contact with McCullum and thinking deeply about the events that would happen later. “When she does awake, we must be ready to allow her to feed on one of us to prevent her blood-daze from accidentally hurting an innocent. Then we go about teaching her the practical skills of being an vampire and everything that comes with it. I’m sure her mother told her much, but telling someone is one thing, experiencing it will be another.”

McCullum patted his sire’s shoulder, he knew Jonathan still carried the guilt of making him an ekon, even though McCullum had come to terms with it some time ago.

“Yeah it did hurt like a bitch, felt like a heart attack and the worst hangover combined. I felt myself die Reid. I cursed your name a thousand times before I did. But what’s done is done and you know I’m alright with it now. If you can help prevent the young lady feeling it though, it would be better.”

“I wish I’d stayed there to help you but I was so angry with you. I know you have forgiven me, one day I’ll forgive myself. But I’ll do everything I can to make it as comfortable as possible for Charlotte, you have my word.”

He glanced at Geoffrey who was stifling a yawn and realised he’d woken him from sleep earlier. Gesturing towards the couch he began to walk over to it, if anything to break his chain of thought. 

“Right, I’ll take this to rest on, you best sleep too and we will be ready for later tonight”

  
  
McCullum vigorously shook his head, “Don’t be daft Reid, that couch can barely sit two people let alone let a man of your stature lie down. No. My bed is big enough, I’ve shared with brothers at Priwen when it was a tight fit in a safe house, I’ve no issues with sharing with you. Frankly I find I’m a deep sleeper now so you wont disturb me in the slightest.”

“All right, I’ve no problem with that.” Jonathan said softly, knowing Geoffrey only offered it as he knew a sleep deprived vampire was not a good thing. There was nothing else behind the offer surely.

“A nice big bed will be a welcome relief from the hospital cot at Pembroke. I miss my bed at my family home but there’s no room to move one of that size to the hospital. We only have a few hours to rest as it is, so ill just take off my coat and shoes.”

Removing his long over coat and jacket and unlacing his shoes, he padded in his socks behind McCullum who led them beyond the partition to his bedroom area. A large carved wooden bed before him was bedecked in heavy blankets over a plush mattress with big fat pillows piled at the bed head and on the floor was scattered with more ornate rugs. A large grin spread across his face as he looked at the owner of such finery. McCullum walked across the room and stood in front of a huge wardrobe, pulling out a shirt and hanging it on the outside

"What? I like to sleep in comfort when I can. That was requisitioned from an abandoned house in the West End. Owners had all died but luckily not on the bed. So we took it along with this wardrobe. You can hang your coats in here by the way. There’s a wash basin in the corner by the bath, to refresh yourself come dusk. Perks of being the former Priwen leader, got first dibs of anything we found in abandoned houses. Now if you don’t mind I am going to go back to sleep.”

He strode over to the bed and threw himself onto the right side, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. Jonathan could do nothing except smirk and he too hung up his coat and jacket and then much more carefully laid down on the other side of the bed, turning away from McCullum on to his side and closing his eyes. Sleep soon found them both and it was only when both of their senses knew the sun was setting did they stir.

Only McCullum was now no longer on his back. He too was lying on his side, his body gently curved around Jonathan with an arm draped over the other's body. Jonathan woke first and could feel McCullum’s form behind him and his arm holding him across the stomach. He smiled at the unconscious gesture, laying there for a while, quite content with the contact from his progeny. McCullum stirred a few minutes later and realised how he was. But, instead of being embarrassed, he patted Jonathan’s stomach and rolled back onto his back as if it were completely natural, a slight grin spreading across his face. 

Jonathan thought he could get used to this before snapping out of it. Be better not to get one’s hopes up as much as he wondered. Geoffrey obviously did it to get a reaction, his sense of humour he supposed. He slowly sat up and stretched before sitting over the edge of the bed. A single lamp lit the room and he padded over to where the wash basin was. Fresh water filled a jug next to it, he poured some out to wash his face and style his hair and beard with a comb he’d brought. Once he was happy with his reflection in the mirror, he moved to the wardrobe and took out his coat and jacket and checked his watch. 6.30pm. As he looked up he saw McCullum walk across the floor to stand next to him and splash water onto his own face, before putting on the fresh shirt and rest of clothes, grabbing his coat, then stuffing his feet into his boots as Jonathan laced up his brogues.

“Ready?” McCullum said with the grin still on his face. The fact Reid hadn’t removed his hand when he’d woken up made him happy. Perhaps the beautiful bastard had similar feelings as well, Or perhaps he was just too polite to do anything. It was probably the latter.  
  
"As I’ll ever be” replied Jonathan quietly, tucking his watch into his waistcoat and walking through to pick up his doctor’s bag, his thoughts now on the night ahead.

“First we need to feed, ready for when we let Charlotte drink from one of us. Any good spots where there might be some skals or dare I say ekons around here? "

“Better yet Johnny, I know a place where the Wet Boot Boys often throw their initiations, Always some scum there willing to stab a stranger to get in to the gang, it’s sort of on the way to the West End so we can try our luck there. If not, well, there’s always the near by sewer,yum!” 

McCullum pulled his weapons off the wall rack and hid them under his coat and opened the door into the darkening dusk sky.

“After you” Gestured Jonathan. A slight tremble in his voice.

They travelled across the docks and arrived at a balcony over looking a spot where three alley ways converged into a sort of small arena. Both of them noticed two scruffy men holding knives, circling each other there. McCullum nudged Jonathan and pointed down to the men. 

“We’re in luck. Two tonight, often there are more now Edwina is dead. This is how it always goes down here. Found out prospective gang recruits get sent here with a note and a knife saying they have to take out who ever is in this alley to get into the gang, no questions asked. Thing is the others also get this note so it’s basically who ever is left standing gets the job. I can tell when someone isn’t up for it as they bottle out and leg it. The ones who stick around to do the deed, to kill anyone here, they’re the ones that then interest me.These two seem particularly keen to make a mess of each other, they’re both bleeding already, I can smell it.” 

Jonathan stared at the two, not sure if they really deserved what was coming to them. "Are you sure they are not simply scared into doing what the Wet Boot Boys demand?” he asked of his progeny.

“Can you smell fear Reid? because I can and I don’t smell anything coming from down there except their blood” He pointed back at the two men still slashing at each other “I’ve been living in the docks for a while Reid, Only the blood thirsty want into that gang now their leader got killed. Think some who’d have thought the Priwen were a good shot at random violence now head this way instead, which suits me just fine. Saves Kat a job at weeding them out.”  
  
Jonathan nodded, the less of the type they encountered a few days back, the better, for all London’s sake. 

“You take the one of the right, the left one’s mine” McCullum jumped down and attacked. Jonathan jumped after him and launched himself at the other prospective gang member who was now snarling at the new competition, or so he thought. He lashed out with his blade and sliced Jonathan across the cheek with it. Jonathan hissed as he felt the blade slice open his skin and then surprise at the fact it wasn’t closing straight away, his blood still trickling down his cheek. He savagely swept his claws over the gang initiate’s throat, tearing it open then grabbed at the man and drove his fangs deep into the bloody neck until the man fell limp in his hands. Dropping the body he turned to look at the knife which was now on the ground. Picking it up he instantly smelt the orichalcum coating the blade. He looked over to McCullum who’d just drained dry the other gang initiate and was walking back over to him.

McCullum saw the wound on Jonathan’s cheek and couldn’t help but shadow-step over to his sire. His hand immediately came up to touch the wound, concern written all over his face. “You’re still bleeding Reid! Why?”  
  
Jonathan could feel the heartfelt emotion coming off his progeny and it made his heart sing, even as the wound throbbed with pain. He felt a thumb on his cheek slowly move over the wound as if by doing so it would help to heal it. Jonathan lifted his hand to hold McCullum’s arm, to hold his touch in place for a little while longer, closing his eyes briefly so that the touch might help him ignore the pain. When he opened them again, he found his progeny’s gaze locked onto his, his eyebrows knitted together in worry.

“I’m alright Geoffrey. The blade was coated in orichalcum dust. Slows down healing as you know. How they knew about it’s effects though, I don’t know.” 

McCullum dropped his gaze and stared at the knife in Jonathan’s other hand. It was a Priwen knife alright. Still had the symbol etched into the blade. He dropped his hand to take the blade from Jonathan who sighed slightly at the loss of touch, dropping his own hand from the momentum. Though McCullum didn’t notice it, his concentration now focused on the blade. He knew the gang had been attacking any Priwen patrols that dared venture into what they considered their turf, they must have picked it up as a trophy and given it to this initiate not knowing what was on it. Least he hoped that was the case. 

“I doubt anyone there is smart enough to know about this stuff Reid. It’s not a well known material. No, I bet this guy was given the knife from the gang’s stash and sent out to do his trial or he found it on a dead Guard member and stole it.” 

He prayed this was the truth of it. Jonathan could sense McCullum wasn’t sure if what he was saying was right, but there was no use in conjecture now, they had best leave the area. 

“I’m fine Geoffrey. Really. See, fully healed again. Let’s get out of here, before more hopefuls show up.” 

McCullum snapped out of his thoughts and briskly nodded, They shadow-jumped away towards the entrance to the west end and were almost upon it, but were stopped in their tracks when they sensed a presence nearby. Both of them came to a halt as a well dressed ekon moved out from the shadows of a nearby factory.

“Bonsoir Cousins, a fine night for it no? Have you perhaps met another of our kind? Dressed like me yes? With same accent as myself? Goes by the name of Jacques Florimond. I swear I can smell him around here, but I cannot find him.” 

The ekon spoke with a heavy French accent, his dress that of a noble or well to do gentlemen from the continent. McCullum instantly bristled, but Jonathan feigned a nonchalant interest for he recognised the name straight away.

“I may have yes, what is he to you _cousin_ ?” He said as warmly as he could muster, as he moved closer to the other ekon, his arms open in a gesture of friendship.

“Ah he is my travelling companion, My name is Duke Bastien Laurent, we came here together to witness the chaos of a city of the edge of collapse and perhaps take some pleasure during it yes. The Marquis usually finds the best places to have some fun. If you have met him sir then I must know where he is for I am beginning to get quite bored. Things are becoming far too calm here for my liking and the blood here is, how do you say it, not to my taste.”

The French noble laughed at his own joke as Jonathan grinned back at him, feigning his amusement at the man’s attempt at humour. He gave a short chuckle as he clapped the Frenchman on the right shoulder and leant in to him,

“Ah yes I know him. the Marquis told me all about his various trips. I did not know he had a travel companion! I met him whilst investigating the disappearance of a young woman. Found out she had asked him to turn her, but it had not gone well and she had died. He was so amused at the gurgling sounds she made as she haemorrhaged!”  
  
Bastien laughed again, obvious joy at what Jonathan was telling him, “Oh he did the deed! Ah yes he told me of the girl he was seducing whilst here. Said she wanted to join us. I thought it could be amusing to have a newborn to introduce into our depraved world. Alas it seems it did not go well if she gurgled! Ha!”

Jonathan gripped the Frenchman’s shoulder a little tighter and whispered into his ear, "Yes. Of course I did not find it funny at all his amusement at an innocent girl’s death, but I did smile when I killed him, much as I will when you die. _Cousin_.“

Bastien looked at Jonathan with a mixture of shock and rage at the duplicity but before he could react, he felt a long blade pierce through his chest and fangs bite deep into his neck as McCullum who had been slowly making his way behind the Frenchman, attacked. Jonathan grabbed Bastien, pinning his arms down before sinking his fangs in to the other side of his neck. The Frenchman could do nothing except gurgle his own silent scream into the air as he was agonisingly drained of blood by the both of them. As he fell to his knees when they released their bites, McCullum swept his sword across the Frenchman’s throat, spitting into the face as the head rolled to the ground.

“Fucking leech, didn't see me coming did you, ya bastard!” He yelled as he kicked the head into the river. He looked over to Jonathan who was checking the body for anything useful which turned out to be quite a bit of money.

"I had no idea the Marquis had a friend here or I would have tracked him down sooner. They deserve to be called leeches for they feed on pain and cause misery. These are the type who I feared Charlotte might come across if I didn’t agree to her request. Well done my progeny, I hoped you’d understand what I was doing.”

“I felt your disgust, our bond makes it easy I guess, so I knew you were distracting him as he completely fucking ignored me!” 

McCullum sneered as he dumped the body to join the head in the river before returning to Jonathan’s side, who smiled as he felt his progeny’s energy radiate when he stood close. He noticed a little blood on McCullum’s cheek and couldn’t help but use his finger to wipe it away, absentmindedly then licking his finger clean. His progeny didn’t make a move to stop him, seemingly quite amused at the the attention his sire gave him and still coming down off the high of ekon blood he'd drank.  
  
"Yes our bond." Jonathan murmured as he dropped his hand before taking his watch out and checking the time, “Well, it seems we have fed better than I hoped. It is time we made our way to Ms Ashbury, we mustn’t be late.”

McCullum feigned a deep bow before sweeping his hand out, He enjoyed hunting with Jonathan, felt the other's more primal side come out which he normally hid so well under the mask of civility. He could get used to seeing him more like that.

“You know the way Reid, I’ll follow.”


	7. Rebirth and Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whisky can really lower inhibitions.  
The time has come for Charlotte to become an ekon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut ahead…..you have been warned.  
I also believe Vampires can control how much they drink from a person, it's just in the thrill of a hunt they tend not to worry.  
also i think the Tears of Angels must have had an effect on Jonathan that took away some of his addiction to blood. He still needs it, but not as much a before. The Serum made from King Arthurs blood probably had same effect on Geoffrey

* * *

_ _

The two ekons stood in silence outside the Ashbury Mansion looking up at the lit windows. For Jonathan it was bitter-sweet to be returning here, for the last time, Elizabeth had fled in a terrible panic and it had led to a heartbreaking chain of events. For McCullum it was a curiosity to be finally sated, getting inside the house he had staked out so many times before, seeing inside the lair of the enigmatic Lady Elizabeth Ashbury. They both still buzzed from their encounter with the French ekon and McCullum positively radiated nervous tension. He broke the silence first,

“Best knock on the door Reid, it’s five to eleven now. We don’t want to keep the lady waiting.”

Jonathan took a deep breath, nodded and walked up, lifting the metal knocker to rap the door twice. Within moments the heavy grey door opened and Charlotte answered wearing a rich red velvet robe and slippers, her long black hair down and loosely draped over her right shoulder. She was a vision of dishevelled elegance. McCullum’s mouth dropped open at the sight, before quickly snapping shut again. Jonathan bowed slightly and motioned to his companion.

“Lady Ashbury, may I introduce Mr Geoffrey McCullum. He is a progeny of mine and a good friend. I wanted him to be here to help support me and yourself. May we enter?” 

Smiling warmly at McCullum, Charlotte opened the door wide, “ Of course, it is always a pleasure to meet any friend of Jonathan, especially someone who will soon be sort of related to myself. Please do enter both of you. Would you be so kind as to remove your coats and weapons and hang them up, if you don’t mind.”

The two ekon walked into the house and as they put away the items as requested, Jonathan noticed the large painting of Ashbury Castle had been removed from the wall. Charlotte gently touched Jonathan’s shoulder as she moved past them, knowing too well what the painting had been of and had had it taken down. She smiled at them both and stood at the base of the stairs. 

"Please, wont you follow me upstairs to the master bedroom. I believe that would be the most comfortable place to perform the...conversion.”

She beckoned the two ekons to follow her and glided gracefully up the stairs. Jonathan couldn’t help but look around and noticed a lot had changed in the house, furniture was in new places and Elisabeth’s old studio was now Charlotte’s campaign office, filled with stacks of leaflets and placards neatly stacked against the back wall. Some more portraits of her mother he’d given her, hung above them. 

They walked slowly across the landing, Jonathan noticing McCullum’s eyes sweeping around the house, taking note of every corner, every detail he could. A prize he could finally say he’d seen though he knew much was not as it once was. As Charlotte passed through the door into the bedroom, McCullum nudged Jonathan and whispered.

“You never mentioned how beautiful she is.”  
  
Jonathan jabbed him in the side “I honestly never noticed until tonight. All I saw was a proud young woman with a stubborn determination to follow her chosen goal. It is disconcerting to see her in any other way.”

“Gentlemen, you may come in you know” called Charlotte from inside the master bedroom. .

The ekons entered to find Charlotte sitting on a plush ottoman bench in front of a huge ornately carved four poster bed. She had a small table in front of her with two deeply backed leather sofas perpendicular to her bench. Soft classical music was playing from a gramophone near the window. The curtains were all pulled shut and a gas lit chandelier glittered from the ceiling. The room was laid out as if she wanted to set a scene.  
  
Jonathan broke the silence and went to sit down on one of the sofas beckoning Geoffrey to sit in the other. ”Lady Ashbury. Charlotte, I need to tell you everything that will happen so you are prepared for what you will experience.” 

He explained in detail what he had told Geoffrey earlier that day and Charlotte listened intently, taking it all in. 

“I brought this alcohol, it will help to hopefully relax and sooth some of the discomfort. Do not worry about drinking too much it will not effect the outcome. Geoffrey, can you fetch a glass from that cabinet over there by the door?” 

  
  
McCullum brought the glass over and poured, handing the full glass to Charlotte, who brought it to her mouth, slowly sipping at first then drinking it a little faster as the realisation of what was about to happen hit her.

“I don’t really drink alcohol but this is rather nice. I suppose one last indulgence before……It’s just I’ve wanted this for so long but never dared hope. Now it's finally happening I can barely believe it.”

Her voice trailed off as she handed the empty glass back to McCullum, who promptly filled it again and gave it back to her. After a few moments sipping the liquid, she looked up at the pair. "So, who is going to drain my blood? You said I have to have it partly drained so that it is easier for your blood to change mine.” 

She looked between the both of them, who glanced at each other, unsure as to what she meant. She threw her arms up laughing, the effect of the whisky already working on her system."Oh you poor ekons. I have two wrists, you can take one each! But please leave a little for Jonathan’s blood to work it’s magic.”

As she dropped them again to her side. McCullum chuckled at how charming she was, though Jonathan blushed hard and started to pull out items from his bag and laid them on the table, trying to remain professional whilst his mind suddenly raced with many thoughts. Charlotte swigged back the last mouthful of the whisky, putting the glass firmly down on the table. Jonathan then took her arm by the wrist and rolled up Charlotte’s right sleeve, beckoning Geoffrey to do the same with her left.

  
"Alright Charlotte, we will do it your way if you like. Geoffrey, do not take too much, Charlotte’s heart must still be beating for it to work, do you understand?”

  
”Don’t worry Reid, we got this.” McCullum replied as he smiled at Charlotte, who had leant back against the back of the tall bed, her eyes wide open and watching both of them with keen interest. It looked like she didn’t want to miss a thing. Her heart pounded with excitement and trepidation within her chest, that the two ekons keenly felt.  
  
It was McCullum who first brought his mouth to her wrist, which he held gently with both hands, kissing the skin before letting his fangs drop down and as gently as he could bite down, closely followed by Jonathan who held her other wrist with one hand whilst holding her arm gently. His fangs were particularly sharp and broke through the skin like butter.

The blood pooled for a second at the wounds before the two began to drink lightly. A delicate hiss emanated from Charlotte as she watched the two feed on her, watching as a trickle of blood ran down her arm onto the floor. Soon her head became very light and she fluttered her eyes shut. The two ekons had noticed her heart was slowing down so removed their fangs from her wrists. Jonathan then bit into his own wrist and held Charlotte’s head up. Holding it to her mouth, her eyes opened and she gingerly tasted his blood. Her face scrunched up at first but then she began to drink in earnest, the taste going from metallic and bitter to the most delicious liquid she’d ever tasted, She couldn’t help but moan slightly with pleasure. 

McCullum watched enthralled, he’d not seen a turning like this, certainly not been part of one. Jonathan was far too busy being a doctor and making sure everything was going just right to pay attention to how it actually looked, which to McCullum was a rather erotic sight and he felt slightly jealous his turning had not been the same. Swiftly Jonathan pulled free his wrist, the wound closing almost instantly, then watched as Charlotte reacted. Her face contorted in pain and she looked up at Jonathan, who held her gently, “I’m sorry Charlotte, it will be over soon, your body is just fighting the inevitable. You will die, but i promise you, you will come back. ”

After a moment her body relaxed as her heart slowed down further until it became almost unnoticeable, her movements were tiny but Jonathan could tell her body fighting to stay alive, but to no avail. Soon her heart stopped all together and to all intents and purposes, she died, though Jonathan could begin to hear her thoughts as the change began and the connection started. There was fear and uncertainty, acceptance and curiosity, but mostly pain. He wondered if it was like how patients in comas say they can still be fully aware of anything done to them but are unable to react. His tried to send out calming thoughts to her to tell her everything would be alright. 

After Jonathan had wiped down her wrists and cleaned her mouth, McCullum scooped her up into his arms and carried her round to the bed, gently laying her down on the mattress. Then he stood there for a moment staring at the motionless body before sitting back down in the chair, his eyes wide with wonder, his body vibrating from the energising human blood coursing through it. Jonathan sat back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment, pleased it was going so well. He clenched then unclenched his hands to calm his nerves and looked up at McCullum who was now looking back at Charlotte’s still form with a curious expression.

”There is nothing we can do now except wait, But I want to stay here so we will be the first thing she sees when she arises and has someone to feed on straight away.”

He started to put away the disinfectant and cotton wool as McCullum spoke, whose accent was slightly stronger all of a sudden. 

”Her blood, her blood had the whisky in it, didn’t it Reid. I can feel it. You knew it could affect us, didn’t you?”

  
Jonathan continued packing away the medical items but a smirk grew on his face as his heart began to beat hard within his chest. Oh indeed he did know. 

“Have you never fed on a intoxicated person before Geoffrey? The alcohol will be in their blood and it will give any who drink it the effect of drinking the alcohol they had. Giving the whisky to Charlotte befitted her greatly, but its a pleasant effect for us as well, especially as we both drank her blood. I was going to offer that part to you, but I admit I couldn’t resist wanting to try it myself. I…… I wanted you to have the experience knowing how much you missed being able to drink whisky that you seemed to love so much. Plus I liked the way you looked when you tasted it before and I wanted to see what your reaction would be now, to be honest.”  
  
McCullum was taken aback at that. The cocky bastard was sitting in that chair across from him, with a shit eating grin on his face telling him he liked the way he looked. If only Reid knew what his reaction was. His heart pounded in his chest, the warmth began to coil in his belly, as did his feelings towards his sire. Feeling of desire and want. Actual honest to god carnal feelings for him! Which made McCullum wonder. Was this a progeny thing? My god did Edgar fancy Reid? Would Charlotte? He glanced at her still form again before focusing back on Jonathan who sat looking at him, leaning forward with his fingers entwined together in front of face, waiting. 

Jonathan saw McCullum’s eyes dilated to black pools, a hunger in them. He also felt his mind searching for an answer to what he was feeling in that moment. The excitement was palpable and the air felt electric. 

“Edgar has a crush on who I am, what I am, I believe. He had it even before I turned him though. I believe he has a fetish for vampires. Charlotte, I have no idea what her interests will be, but they will be her own. What you feel Geoffrey, is all your own too, what I think you’ve always felt but denied as I admit I have too from fear. Maybe that is why you personally hunted me down those many times?” 

McCullum spoke his thoughts out loud, never taking his eyes of his maker. 

“I didn’t know why I let you go that night in the theatre Reid, I must have drowned the thoughts from my mind when I got back to headquarters in what ever cheap booze they had there. My ambush in the hospital was my rational mind trying to shove aside my feelings.... I didn’t want to kill you, that I in fact wanted to see you once more. Ever since I saw you in Swansea’s office my thoughts have been a confused tangle of want and hate, now that hate is gone and replaced by something more, need. When you turned me in that loft, gave me that kiss I should have despised you but it fully awoke feelings in me I’d long buried. I thought it due to me being your progeny, but it wasn’t was it? It was something else. It’s always been something else.” 

“Something else indeed.” Jonathan replied cravingly, “Our first meeting in Edgar’s office, you couldn’t take your eyes off me and to be frank with you, I couldn’t stop looking at you either. Your blue eyes entranced me even as I felt your anger. It was only Edgar’s humourless attempt to break the staring contest that you parted contact and left. But I felt your heartbeat racing and it wasn’t from fear. It’s why I turned you Geoffrey, I couldn’t bare the idea of you dying and leaving me alone.” 

Jonathan rose, suddenly feeling very bold, and shadow-stepped to stand in front of McCullum. He looked down at his progeny who never broke eye contact with him. 

“We are ekon now Geoffrey and although I cling to my humanity, I do not care for their outdated conventions. My attraction does not care for gender, I never did as a human, I certainly don’t now. Damn what mortal men think. I need you by my side, and I think you need me too………I care for how you feel, if it is indeed truly the same as I.  
Tell me what you feel” 

McCullum couldn’t stop staring at this beautiful ekon standing over him, a man he realised he’d wanted since he first saw him. His heart was racing and his mouth felt dry. Every nerve was on edge and he gripped the edge of the couch as he spoke.

“I feel like I want to grab you and taste your blood whilst I kiss you hard.” He whispered, as if the words might shatter the illusion he desperately wanted to believe was real and standing in front of him. 

“Then what are you waiting for?” Jonathan replied, his voice a low rumble.

  
McCullum shot up and grasped Jonathan’s face with both hands, planting a heated kiss to his sires open and welcome mouth. His fangs nicked Jonathan’s tongue and he finally tasted his sire’s blood, which only made his need greater and he started to deepen the kiss, their tongues entangling, the heat building, before releasing and moving his mouth in lavish kisses over Jonathan’s cheek and down to his neck. He could feel Jonathan’s artery pound under the skin and bit down, sinking his fangs into the skin there and drinking deeply, for he needed to taste more! It was like ambrosia, he’d never felt so alive as in that moment.

  
Jonathan gasped at the sensation and grabbed McCullum’s hair holding his head to his neck, letting him drink deeply, whilst his other hand moved down to stroke his progeny’s growing bulge in his trousers. That only made McCullum bite harder and he growled lowly, moving his hands down Jonathan’s chest, unbuttoning the waistcoat and shirt there and whipping away the tie. He finally broke his embrace from Jonathan's throat only to start licking and kissing the others now bare skin.

Jonathan’s smooth, sparsely haired chest was like cool marble to look at but so warm to the touch due to the fresh blood inside. He began to undo the belt that held the trousers in place and pulled them down Jonathan's legs. The smooth silk drawers Jonathan wore strained to withhold his strong erection and with a swift movement, McCullum tugged them down freeing his cock which bounced back lightly to hover over his lower stomach. 

Jonathan grinned and pushed McCullum back down onto the edge of the couch, licking his lips of his own blood that McCullum had smeared all over them. His progeny’s gaze moved down Jonathan’s torso till it fell on his cock which twitched with anticipation, he watched as McCullum’s mouth parted and his head moved forwards to lick the leaking pre-cum off the tip. Jonathan moaned as he felt a hot mouth envelop the head and slowly move down the shaft as a hand came up and started sliding back and forth along the sensitive skin. McCullum seemed to instinctively know what to do, Jonathan wondered if he had experimented in the past.  
  
_I do and if I’m right you have something that can help us out a little, yeah_ came McCullum’s voice in Jonathan’s head as he kept his mouth occupied.

Jonathan reached into his unbuttoned waistcoat pocket and pulled out a small vial of olive oil, offering it to McCullum with his own thoughts

_Always come prepared I say, but you, you are far too clothed for what is going to happen next._

McCullum pulled away grinning, standing up and quickly stripping himself of what he was wearing and returned to assaulting Jonathan’s mouth again, Jonathan meanwhile kicked off his trousers and shoes .

McCullum released the kiss and pulled the cork off the bottle with his teeth, spitting it on the ground, then smothering his left hand in the oil, first sliding it over his own hard member a couple of times before pulling Jonathan down to kneel over his lap. He slid his hand under and used two fingers to slowly massage and open up Jonathan’s taint, watching as his sire writhed in pleasure above him. Then when he knew Jonathan was ready he grabbed the other’s hips and positioned himself over Jonathan’s opening.

“Lower yourself Reid,” He hissed as he stared up into his maker’s face “I want you to really know what I feel for you.”

Jonathan looked down, his pupils blown wild with lust, he grabbed the back of the chair and lowered himself down slowly, feeling McCullum’s endowed member stretch and fill him, he threw his head back, his fangs coming out prominently and when he was fully hilted, he then began to move, rocking back and forth, slowly at first then increasing momentum, until he was pounding himself down onto Geoffrey, feeling every thrust hit his prostate, sending stars shooting into his vision.

McCullum growled as his fangs dropped at the erotic sight, of this beautiful ekon coming undone upon him. He could feel Jonathan’s hard cock rubbing against his belly, so reached between them and slid his oiled hand over it, moving it up and down in time to Jonathan’s own movements. 

Jonathan groaned loudly at the dual assault on his senses and only one thing could top that. He leant forward, sinking his fangs into McCullum’s shoulder, taking in his progeny’s powerful blood, his body reacting to it as well as what was being done to his body and he started to white out as his orgasm spilled over McCullum’s hand and stomach. Never had he experienced such a thing, his entire body shook with the sensations coming from everywhere at once.

  
McCullum’s mouth fell open as his sire drank deep of his blood whilst he was fucking him. His desire for this man was overwhelming, his hands gripped Jonathan’s body as he thrust up hard into him, feeling his sire cum as he drank from him and his own powerful orgasm soon ripped through his body as he roared his name,

“Jonathan!... Ah fuck yes.... you beast!” 

As he came down off his high, McCullum open his squeezed shut eyes and noticed movement by the bed to the side of them and saw the newly reborn Charlotte leaning against one of the posts watching them with blood dazed, hooded eyes. 

He languidly raised his right hand and beckoned her over. She slowly walked towards them and stood behind Jonathan, who sensing her need, released his mouth from McCullum’s shoulder and sat up right, reaching back to guide Charlotte’s head to his own neck. He felt her nose nuzzle the veins under his skin and her breath hitch. She hovered a second there before biting into Jonathan’s neck with her new fangs. He shuddered, still coming down off his high and the fact he was still very much impaled by his progeny beneath him. He looked down at McCullum with hooded eyes, his body still vibrating. 

McCullum saw rivulets of blood trickle down the ekons torso, as Jonathan’s new Progeny ravenously fed on their sire. He leant forward and started to lick them away as he gently stroked Charlotte’s hands that were grasping Jonathan’s shoulders. Soon Charlotte lifted her head and stood straight, her vision from her now amber coloured eyes began to clear and she looked down at the two ekon, grinning widely as she took in the sight before her. After a moment she finally spoke,

“Well,……. that is certainly not the awakening I was expecting gentlemen“ She breathed, dizzy, with Jonathan’s blood coursing through her body “But, I am not against the sight at all…….. It is very pleasing to the eye indeed………I knew there was something more between you two..... Jonathan you are such a private man, to invite someone to this must have meant a lot to you. I’m happy for you……. But perhaps you’d better tidy yourselves up and we will meet downstairs.”

With that she turned and slowly made her way out of the bedroom, her soft giggle echoing down the hall.  
  
The two ekon looked at each other and began laughing, McCullum’s body shaking with his booming chuckle, whilst Jonathan’s was almost silent as his shoulders shook. The latter rose and stood to look for his discarded clothes, whilst his progeny did the same. After they had wiped them selves down, Pieces of clothing were thrown between them as they collected their garments and they both quickly dressed. As Jonathan began to leave the room, McCullum rushed to his side, grabbing him on the arse and whispering into his ear, “ I hope you know now how I feel Reid.”

Jonathan reached up and cupped McCullum’s chin kissing him softly, " I truly do. This has been an incredible night, in so many ways. No more wondering ifs any more. Now I know what it is that draws us. Our blood calls to each other.” He began to grin, the thought was silly but he couldn’t help but voice it, “I don’t know if vampires have soul mates as I’m not entirely sure we have souls now, but blood mates might be a better term.”

McCullum cracked at that, burying his head into Jonathan’s shoulder, trying to stifle his amusement, “ Blood mates indeed! What a pair we make aye Johnny! We’d eh, best go see to your new progeny before she wonders."

  
The two of them, still laughing, walked down into the drawing room where Charlotte smiled up at them warmly. 

“My dear gentlemen, I sit here after my rebirth, my body tingling with energy and power, my mind taking in everything that’s just happened and I am over joyed with it all!” 

She waved her hand towards the other chairs by the fire, asking them to sit with her. “I’ll say I was surprised to awaken to see such a erotic display from you both, but it was not unpleasant! I realise now that we are no longer human and bound by their ignorance. When I awoke all I could sense around me was a deep passion, it enveloped my mind and I felt no fear. Your hearts were like a roaring river and it help guide me towards you.”

The two men blushed deeply, before Jonathan spoke, “We had not intended to put on such a display, I think the whisky you had drunk helped loosen our inhibitions somewhat.”

“So we take on the effect of alcohol a human has drunk?” gasped Charlotte, “how devious of you Dr Reid!” She giggled to herself before glancing at McCullum who began to laugh. 

“Aye miss, whisky often loosened a lot with me before I was turned, but I guess it has a stronger effect on me now!“

He shook his head as he winked at Jonathan who bashfully smiled in response. He wasn’t used to talking about these sort of feelings .

“Alcohol doesn’t stay in our system as long as a humans, but it is intensely felt. It may have given us...both the push we needed. I guess, to realise how we actually felt about each other.” 

Jonathan coughed, he could feel his cheeks were burning from the embarrassment and wanted to change the subject as he was there to help his new progeny, even though she was probably far more prepared for her new life than he had been when he first awoke. McCullum merely leant back in his chair, draping one arm over the back as he watched amused as Jonathan shifted uncomfortably from the attention. It was adorable really. One moment the ekon was like a predator who could devour you with his eyes, the next a proper gentleman, who stammered to get his feelings across. McCullum used to just get angry when he was caught doing something improper, which usually scared enough Guard to know to let him have his privacy.

“ But enough about us, I’m sure your mother never told you about many things relating to ekons although I’m sure you did learn a good deal from her. But hearing about it and experiencing it are two different things. You have fed off me which will sate the thirst for tonight but tomorrow we will take you out into the city and show you the pros and cons of being a vampire. Now we know the sun will soon rise and we must take our leave and you must rest. Please do not leave before we return, I have no intention of leaving another progeny to learn alone.” 

He began to rise out of the chair before being stopped by Charlotte’s grasp of his hand. 

  
”Nonsense gentlemen. I have a guest bedroom across from mine that you can both use and since you don’t have any problems with being so close, I know you wont mind sharing the bed there. In fact it is always there for either of you, should you need a safe harbour.” 

She grinned as she watched the two men glance at each other and mutually shrug in agreement. "It is settled then. I bid you both good morning for I suddenly feel exhausted and we will reconvene here tomorrow evening, yes.” 

Charlotte rose from the chair, dousing out the fire in the hearth and leaving the two men with a wave. Jonathan smiled at Charlotte’s kindness, before glancing at Geoffrey who was grinning back at him,. 

“It seems you’ve made quite the strong ekon there Reid. You said she was a force of nature and you’re not wrong. But she’s right, I’m knackered and could do with a rest. You coming?” 

McCullum stood up and offered his hand to Jonathan who took it and rose as well, ”Geoffrey, you said ekon, not leech? Making progress at last!” He chuckled as he reached up to grasp the other’s shoulder. 

“Ha I did there didn’t I! I must have a good teacher” McCullum quipped as he leant in and kissed him on the forehead. 

“I hope I am Geoffrey, But now, yes I am rather exhausted, a rest will do us both good.” 

The two found the spare bedroom, which was cleanly decorated, with heavy curtains closed and had a large simple double bed in the centre against the wall. They both got undressed, realising now there was no need for modesty and climbed under the blankets, with Geoffrey repeating his earlier subconscious move and wrapping himself around Jonathan’s back, pulling him close in tight to his own body. Jonathan clasped McCullum's hand and squeezed softly. 

“When I woke like this before with you, back at yours, I dared hope that you’d do it again. But now, this is so much better.” 

He whispered as he relaxed into the embrace with McCullum rumbling his agreement and he fell to slumber, sleeping more peacefully then he’d done since his rebirth.


	8. Eager Pupil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan and Geoffrey teach Charlotte how to fight and how to hunt, whilst exploring their own feelings for each other. Geoffrey decides to pay visit to Dr Swansea.

* * *

Charlotte had risen as soon as dusk descended, her senses now keenly aware of the sun’s movements. She was eager to take in everything she had been told about by her mother and more. Her eyes could now see everything clearly even though it was pitch dark with the curtains closed. She looked down at her wrists and saw that only little indent marks showed on her wrists, the only evidence of her turning. She padded over to sit at her dresser and looked in the mirror. Her first view of her new appearance made her silently gasp. Her skin was more luminous as if slightly more translucent and she could see very fine veins over her forehead and cheeks. The most remarkable though were her irises of her eyes, which before had been a deep chocolate brown, but now looked like liquid amber. They were eerie. 

Her mother had always had the greenest eyes she had ever seen, they looked otherworldly set into that alabaster face, but she never looked like how ekons were described. She must have held her glamour even to her own daughter, perhaps ashamed of her true appearance from her centuries of un-life. Charlotte knew feeding on humans changed an ekon’s true appearance and her mother had fed on many, though to her knowledge, only the dying.

At least Jonathan and Geoffrey let down their glamours in front of her. Though she thought with a giggle, she had seen far more than she thought she’d ever see of them, but as she said to them both, it had not been unpleasant. They both had rather exquisite bodies, though quite different. Jonathan being leaner and more lithely muscled where as Geoffrey was powerfully built and stocky, He stood slightly taller than Jonathan who already towered at over 6 foot.

Standing back up, she walked over to the windows, drawing back the curtains and looking out. She could see from the view, the small park that sat outside the gates. Her vision adjusted and she took in with great clarity the details, that were suddenly so sharp to her eyes. Charlotte followed a Priwen patrol as they wandered through before passing into the Whitechapel district.

She must have stood at the window for an age it seemed, only to be broken free from the trance by a gentle knock at her door.

“Miss Charlotte, may I enter?” came the soft Irish brogue of McCullum. “I wondered if I may have a word with you before Reid wakes up.”

Charlotte smiled before walking over, turning on the lights and opening the door. Come on it Geoffrey” She turned and sat down on of the couches whilst McCullum took the one opposite. 

“I hope you are well rested. Tonight we hope to train you in more martial skills than I believe you know. A ekon must be able to defend themselves from other vampires as well as human hunters.”

“Like you yourself were?” She Interrupted.

“How did you know? Did Reid tell you?” McCullum said with a start, how on earth did she know about his past!

“No, no one told me, I never forget a face, you see. Two members of the Priwen Guard approached me one evening over a month back whilst I was out pamphleting in the West End. They told me how I had to be on my guard and not go down any dark alleys for danger lurked there. One of them asked where my house was situated to which I told them that was none of their business and was quite capable of handling myself. That’s when you came over to the man who carried a crossbow and told him no lady would tell an armed stranger where they lived. You apologised to me and then left with the others into Calhoun’s shop. I’m not surprised you don’t remember, you had a thunderous look in your eyes that night as if you had a lot more on your mind than to remember a young lady.”

McCullum sat deep in thought, trying to remember the encounter when he suddenly sat back in his chair and grinned, 

“Ha! Was the night I’d let Reid leave the theatre. We needed to get some supplies and I was still trying to work out why the hell I’d let an ekon escape a trap!”

“Well that’s obvious dear Geoffrey, you cared for him, but your sensibilities and adherence to blinkered thinking wouldn’t let you accept that then.” Charlotte retorted with a grin. McCullum was surprised she would state such a thing after what she had seen the night before. 

“I had no problem liking men, Miss Charlotte, even though my ma would be turning in her grave to hear it. Brought up a good catholic boy I was, but well that matters not now.”

  
”No, no dear Geoffrey, I mean your beliefs in all vampires being evil monsters,” Charlotte replied with a lop sided smile. McCullum's answer was adorable really. “You were the head of the Guard of Priwen were you not? It was easy to see the other men deferred to you. I’m sorry what happened to your family. It must have coloured your perception of vampires and led you down the path of being a hunter. But now you know, yes? Now you know we are, like humans, as good or as bad as our own conscience, morals and sense of justice guide us.”

McCullum blushed at misunderstanding Charlotte and nodded slowly. His views _had_ been coloured by his experiences. His family’s deaths, then being brought up by Carl Eldritch, the former leader of the Priwen, who had held such black and white views of vampires that it made him shudder. Carl would not have hesitated to have killed him the moment he knew. Would have taken it as a mercy. Wouldn't have cared for what he'd said or done._ Leech cannot be allowed to live. _Had been Carl's motto in life. How many decent vampires had Carl killed? Had McCullum killed? Ones who’d only wanted to live their lives as best they could? Were the brotherhood right all along? No, they allowed monsters to walk freely, only taking out the worst of the worst under the auspices of a ‘Ban of the Dragon’.

“So you know and you’re not bothered? I was, yeah, the former leader, before Reid turned me after we’d fought nearly to the death. I still am a hunter of vampires, but I’m far more choosy in who I hunt. Those who’ve discarded their humanity, who’ve embraced the monster inside us all. I’ve come across humans just as bad but until now I’ve never hunted them too.” 

“My dear, no, you are Jonathan’s friend, that means everything. If he trusts you enough to have you by his side then so do I, no matter your past.” Charlotte got up and sat on the ottoman next to McCullum, “I know Jujitsu, all suffragettes are offered it if we plan to become active in the campaign, I've had to use a couple of times but only in defence. But i have a feeling from now on fighting will be far more proactive. You will be probably the best teacher I could have to train me to look after myself in a fight. ”

“That he will be,” said Jonathan who had been leaning against the door frame, listening to their conversation. “I’m sorry to eaves drop but I didn’t want to interrupt.“

He stood up straight and moved to sit next to McCullum, who raised his eyes in a jovial grin before shifting a little closer and throwing an arm over Jonathan’s shoulder.

“This one isn’t as good as me in a fight, he had to use all his leechy powers to take me down last time, as well as lots of bullets! Luckily I was wearing armour under my clothes that night! Never did shoot me in the head though, didn’t want to spoil this pretty face.” 

Jonathan jabbed the other in the ribs, how he could make a joke of the time he’d nearly killed Geoffrey! “I didn’t want to fight you at all Geoffrey, but I wasn’t about to let you win either. You by the way used ultraviolet light on me and orichalcum dust!”

Their argument was broken by the sound of Charlotte giggling uncontrollably and taking each of their hands in hers. 

“Jonathan, anyone who can fight with that against you, will be the perfect teacher to show me the powers an ekon needs to survive and you Geoffrey I know are a master at the fighting arts, for you have survived this long against vampires to prove it. Come now, for the night is young and I hunger. I must dress, I still have some of my mother’s breaches that she favoured which I think will be more suitable to train in. If you gentlemen will excuse me.”   
  
Jonathan and McCullum took their leave and made their way to the drawing room to wait on Charlotte. They both sat in silence on the same couch for a while before Jonathan spoke__.__

“I really didn’t want to fight you that night Geoffrey, but you forced my hand. I’ve yet to ask why Edgar had that trap installed but if you had not used them I would have taken you down far quicker. I was in a panic wondering what had become of him, At first I had no patience in fighting you. But I soon realised you were no mere guard. The way you used your sword, I could not deflect or stop your attacks without using my powers. I’d never fought anyone like you before or since. It made me feel energised, the adrenaline coursing through me, combined with my anger towards you as well as my other more conflicted feelings, was exhilarating.  
But when I saw you go down finally and the blood pool around you I knew I’d gone too far. I saw your heart slow even as the fear came off you in waves. I felt I had no choice but to turn you, As much as you infuriated me, I couldn’t let you die, which in that moment I feared the most. I know now I wanted you to stay. Wanted you to be with me, even if it meant fighting you for the rest of eternity! Your blood called to me, made my body sing when I tasted it during the fight. I’ve never had that feeling from drinking someone’s blood.   
I said before I don’t care about gender. I’ve loved women and men before, though never truly acted on my feelings with the latter until the war, where it had been brief moments of respite between fighting. Now that I feel so much more of everything I care only to act on those feelings and your blood calls to me on another level beyond mere yearning as a vampire. I feel like we are two sides of the same coin, we’re meant to be together.”

McCullum had not taken his eyes off Jonathan the whole time the latter had spoken, he knew he was hearing things Jonathan had kept to himself for so long. Knew he felt trusted enough to finally be told everything, he felt he owed him the same courtesy.

“Reid…Johnny, I think it may be so. I knew I had to level the playing field when I faced you, guards who’d seen you fight and survived had told me how you wielded shadow and blood as weapons. They’d never seen an ekon use both so easily. I knew you had ancient blood then and would not be able to take you down without help.   
Even then though, the back of my mind was a voice saying, _just talk to him! You don’t want to fight him really, you just want to see him again, because you like him don’t you_. I had to shove those thoughts deep down as I was Priwen’s leader, I had to prevail against the leech threat, had to find out who had started it and it all seemed to point to you some how. Course now I know I had it all twisted, twisted because of my blinkered views. But back then was an anger that burnt so strong. How could a doctor be such a bastard to have started the epidemic, so I fought with a fury unmatched. I felt the blood of King Arthur fuel me, though now I think about it, drinking some ancient blood, which was in fact vampire blood, would that not have turned me anyway?   
No, it matters not. I was turned that night and ekon I am now. As a mortal I cared not for who I slept with either. In the guard we gained close bonds and enough it was to share a moment of passion after surviving a fight or to mourn a fellow taken from us. But I never truly loved, until now I think. So if that is the blood talking, so be it. We are creatures of blood are we not, let it rule our hearts. Blood mates as you said!”

He leaned in and kissed the surprised Jonathan firmly on the lips before holding his head gently between his hands and grinning widely, “Course now we are equals I’d like to see how we are matched in a fight.”

He released his hold and stood, just as Charlotte walked down the stairs, wearing a fitted black military riding jacket under a loose blouse, a coordinating pair of breeches and knee high boots. She had a pistol in a holster attached to a belt slung low on her waist. Jonathan stood up, still trying to get his head around the fact McCullum had told him he loved him, but pushed it aside to focus on his new progeny who waited patiently for them to enter the hallway.

“So where shall we head to? You know the various districts far better than I and I will follow your lead.” she said as the two came out of the drawing room.

Jonathan took in the battle ready woman in front of him, he couldn’t be more proud.  
  
"Miss Charlotte, first off, let us test your basic abilities here in the safety of this house. Focus your eyes to see with your blood. Your vision should turn to silhouette and shadow but blood should be become clear and bright red. You will see our hearts beating in our chests. Human hearts beat much faster and with more vigour, makes out hearts look like they do not beat at all. That is how you can tell us apart."

  
Charlotte did as was instructed and her vision changed. She could see their heartbeats and vascular system as well as the hearts of a human briskly walking past the house and rats that sat out in the street ahead. Her vision cleared and returned to normal the moment she spoke again to Jonathan and McCullum.

“That was incredible. I know mother’s would sometimes look oddly at me and then she would ask me if I was well, which inevitably I wasn’t. Can we tell if I person is sick through this vision?”

  
Jonathan was impressed she caught on so fast to the skill asked of her, “ Yes, it has proven invaluable to me as a doctor. As well as the ability to force a mortal to tell me the truth. I am able to focus my will into my voice, it being similar to the ability to completely control a person's mind, which you will also learn in time. The latter takes far more practice and if not done correctly can damage the person’s mind. Those skills can only be learnt in the field so to speak as it does not work on other ekons except perhaps sire to progeny.” 

McCullum piped in then, “Know we only kill those who are monstrous, whether they be vampire or human. Unless we catch humans in the act of evil, using the ability to force our will upon them, helps us work out what kind of person they are. All their dirty little secrets and desires come out. Remember that Miss Charlotte and don’t let yourself fall to your blood thirst by taking out an innocent.”

  
  
“I understand Mr McCullum all to well.” Charlotte bristled “ My Mother always told me the thirst never leaves, it is an addiction that cannot be cured, only controlled by willpower and the strength of their maker’s blood. Well Dr Reid is my sire and I have a strong willpower. I am also a woman who has faced down countless lesser men who believe themselves my superior. It has taken all my willpower not to knock them on their backsides.”

  
  
"I don’t for a second doubt that Miss Charlotte!” McCullum chuckled “I know plenty of feisty women, in fact one now leads The Priwen. I meant nothing by it other than a general warning I’d give to any new born. I had to learn it myself very fast and I would not like to see you on the Guard’s lists. ”

Jonathan interjected before his two fiery progeny started fighting. “ Our blood means we run hotter in our emotions Miss Charlotte, we must learn to hide that along with a lot more to walk amongst mortals. Sometimes we must evade and in that we use an ability I’ve termed shadow-jumping. To mortal eyes it looks like we teleport from one place to another, but it is in fact that we move so fast, their eyes cannot keep up and that we are able to jump further or higher than any mortal. We use the shadows to do this. That is why when we move, the shadows coil around us in a black cloud.

Now I want you to focus on the top of the stairs and jump to there. Feel the shadows around you and call to them and use them to force your body to that place. You might feel a little dizzy the first time, but your body becomes accustomed to it and it will become as natural as running. “

Charlotte grimaced and took a deep breath to calm herself then looked up to the top of the first flight of stairs. She had seen her mother move so fast she’d lost sight of her, so knew what it looked like. Suddenly all the shadows around her became darker and pulsated, she went to jump and the next moment she stood amongst a dissipating cloud of black tendrils at the top of the stairs. Grabbing the banister to steady herself she let out a little whoop of joy,

“How intense! That was more than I expected and the dizziness has already left!” She jumped back down to stand right in front of McCullum who took a step back and started to laugh loudly.

“Reid, you sure make them don’t you!” he bellowed, before patting Charlotte on the shoulder and pulling her into a hug. At first Charlotte didn’t know what to make of the gesture before relaxing into the embrace knowing it was McCullum’s way of making up for riling her up. As he relaxed the hug she leant up and kissed him on the cheek, which went red hot and flushed for a moment.

“I am often forced into the defensive, Geoffrey, but I’m glad you are both looking out for me, the young naive ekon that I am.”

She winked at Jonathan harking back to when she teased him the first time they met. Jonathan smiled warmly, in many ways he was quite naive back then, still not knowing so much about the vampire world. He patted her shoulder softly, before gathering the weapons he always carried from their place in the hallway with his coat and passed McCullum’s to him. 

“Well you are my progeny and I swore to take care of those I’ve turned. So shall we head out? I have just the place to visit. A man that I’ve not yet had the opportunity to study, whose son was the kind of monster I am happy to remove from this world. I need to speak to his father to ascertain whether he will be a danger too as he sounded like he might. It will help show you how I go about getting information out of mortal minds and if I need to charm or mesmerise them.”

He looked towards McCullum, who nodded his approval. “On the way we will pass by my family home, I’d like to introduce you both to my mother and give you both gifts I have been meaning to pass on for a while now.” 

“Introducing us to your mother? How sweet Jonathan! But does she know what you are?” Charlotte asked with a very concerned expression. Her mother had always told her it was rare for ekon to live with their mortal family, that she was one of the few who could. Most want to avoid any connections to their mortal lives, though for Jonathan it seemed it was something he clung dearly too.

“She was always an imaginative sort, but due to the tragedies in our family her mind has retreated to those fantasies she once used as an amusement. My sister when turned would visit her and mentally torture her, telling her of how she and I were dead but alive. I was able to save my mother from my sister’s embrace but it damaged her mind I think. She sees me as dead, a ghost who visits her, just as her husband, my father visits her still, even though he disappeared when i was 22 and is presumed dead. But, she is still very much my beloved mother and our loyal butler Avery dotes on her when I cannot be there. She will welcome you into our home as my friends no matter about it even if she may say odd things. Just to warn you.”

McCullum put a hand on Jonathan’s shoulder, squeezing softly, his way of offering comfort when he didn’t know what to say. Jonathan looked towards him and smiled, placing his hand briefly over the others.

“Right then, let us head out. Oh before I do, Geoffrey, do you know of any patrols heading through the west end tonight?”

“Only around the theatre, still a base for them in the guise of restoring it, would you believe. But they tend to go towards Whitechapel from there. None for around the parade or park area this week.” Geoffrey noted as he strapped his crossbow to his arm.

“Good means we shouldn’t run into any issues. After you Miss Charlotte.”

The three of them ventured out into the cold winter air, though none noticed it, they knew to dress in such as way as to not draw attention. Charlotte had added a long split grey riding coat over her ensemble and had pulled her hair into a long plait that was wrapped over her head like a crown, slightly covering her ears. 

As they walked along the parade Jonathan glanced sadly towards where his friend Clarence used to stand, He had passed away a week before Jonathan had got back, victim to his wife’s poisoning. Jonathan had managed to charm Venus into stopping her actions but it had been too late. With Clarence’s heightened blood pressure from the stress, it was too much for his heart and he was found dead one morning, sitting outside his house on a bench. Venus had had the simple funeral during the day so Jonathan couldn’t even attend, having to make excuses to her one evening that he was in surgery that day and couldn't leave. At least she mourned him, but he didn’t think she felt any guilt for what she'd done. She had soon left London and last he knew she was in New York living a new life after selling the house and what was left of their belongings. Part of him couldn’t blame her. The Clarence they both knew had died back in the war and it was a shell of a man who had walked the streets over a month back. He had once had a school boy crush on Clarence and it had pained him to see him as he had become, unable to help or tell him the truth. 

As they arrived at Jonathan’s family home, he took a deep breath and knocked on the front door as he knew Charlotte and Geoffrey would have to be invited in by the mortal residents of the home. He could not do so. Avery opened the door and looked puzzled for a moment at why Jonathan had not simply walked in with his guests. 

“Avery as this is still my mother’s home I felt it improper to simply walk in with guests uninvited. This is Lady Charlotte Ashbury and Mister Geoffrey McCullum, good friends from a social society I recently joined.”

Avery bowed and opened the door wide, “Ah ever the gentleman, welcome home Mr Jonathan. Lady Ashbury, Master McCullum, please all of you do come in! I didn’t know you would be bringing guests back this late, I would have made something for you all to eat!” 

“No need Avery, we’ve going out to eat. Is mother in her room? Id like to introduce my friends to her.” Jonathan asked as he patted Avery on the shoulder. 

Avery looked up hesitantly and when his face returned to look at Jonathan it was full of concern. “No Mr Jonathan, she has currently returned to her painting. You will find her on the landing where her easel is. I’m not sure what to make of her latest work, but it seems to make her happy and that is what is important. She will be so glad to see you again.” 

Jonathan thanked Avery and bade Charlotte and Geoffrey follow him upstairs where he found his mother working away on a canvas laid against the easel next to a window. As he moved to view her painting he had to suppress his shock to see what she painted. Instead of her beautiful landscapes, in front of him was a canvas filled with whirling strokes of red and black surrounding his sadly smiling face, which was exactly as he appeared. Red scleras and icy cat like eyes, veins creeping over his pale skin. She truly did see him as he was. Was her mind now attuned to it somehow? Would she see Geoffrey and Charlotte in the same way? He glanced at them as they now both stared at the painting as well.

“Mother? I see you have returned to your painting, what brought this on, why do you paint me in such a way? ”

Emelyne looked over to her son with sadness in her eyes, a sadness that had been there the first time he had seen her after his turning.

“Oh my dear Jonathan, I paint what I see as I always have. My dear dead son surrounded by a sea of blood and darkness. Just as Mary once told me. I’ve been having dreams of you and your sister dancing in the moonlight and it inspired me. This will join the portrait I’ve done of Mary already.“ She put down her paintbrush and stood suddenly noticing the other two who still stared at the canvas.“But who are your friends you brought to see me? They are like you are they not? Are all your friends dead? Oh my poor son. Well it doesn’t matter, it is so good to see you have friends still in these terrible times. Are you not going to introduce me Johnny?”

Jonathan sighed, Yes she indeed could see the others as they truly were.

“Mother, I….. I’d like to introduce my dear friends Mr Geoffrey McCullum and Lady Charlotte Ashbury. And yes they are, like me I suppose. But you are in no danger. What do you plan to do with these paintings when you are finished?”

“Oh I could never be in danger from you or your friends. They seem both lovely people. Though please ask them not to stare with their cold eyes. These paintings are for my bedroom once done. They will be kept there where Aubrey and I will view them. We wish to be reminded of our family at all times.” 

She smiled at each of them in turn, then at someone only she could see standing next to her, which Jonathan could only guess was his father. 

“ Well, I’m glad you have returned to your hobby mother. I’ll be taking my guests to my room now and then we will be leaving for supper out. Please do not wait up for me.” 

“Goodbye son, your bedroom is made and always ready for you.” Emelyne returned to her painting quietly humming to herself as if the conversation she'd just had was perfectly normal.

As Jonathan opened the door for his friends to enter his room, McCullum leaned in so as to whisper, “I’m so sorry Reid, you have to deal with that. But your mother, that painting…..she can see us as vampires cant she? Even me!? How is that possible?“

“I honestly don’t know Geoffrey, I used to think she had an active imagination and that because of what has befallen this family with my father disappearing, my sister murdered, she pretended they were still around even knowing they were dead. When I was thought dead too, it stuck with her. But now, now all those comments she made about me, about how she saw me. It was because she actually does see me as I am.   
The human mind is a complex thing, one no doctor has managed to solve yet. We can glamour ourselves to most mortal minds, but hers must be differently attuned. Another thing to monitor. At least Avery does not see as she does. Poor man believes my mother’s mind is fading and I must keep him thinking that way. Now please let us change the subject as my mother breaks my heart enough.”

Jonathan, wiping his eyes with his finger, leant down to the side of his workbench and pulled out two long boxes. He put them on the bed and unwrapped them from the cloth covering them. The larger he handed to McCullum and the smaller to Charlotte. They opened them to find inside beautiful swords. 

“Miss Charlotte, this sabre looked after me a good while until I was able to wield the sword I carry now. It was once Doris Fletchers but I believe it far older and possibly of Ottoman origin. It is light and easy to use and should suit you well. Geoffrey the sword you now hold was once owned by Sir William Marshall. A true defender’s weapon and one I know you have the strength to carry. I had scabbards made for them in York on my journey back from Scotland. I felt you owning it after everything was fitting.”

They both took their swords out of the boxes and admired them, turning them over and feeling the respective weights. Charlotte had had some fencing instruction from her mother but using a sabre was a different thing altogether. It had the most beautiful inlaid pommel of garnets, a crocodile leather wrapped grip and a blade of blue steel.

Charlotte went up to Jonathan and kissed him on the cheek. “ This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been gifted! I will treasure it and learn to use it properly so it may never leave my side when out. It will have pride of place in my home when not in use. Thank you ,thank you, thank you!” 

She kissed him on the cheek again before standing back and admiring the sword once more.

McCullum stared at the sword he now held. He couldn’t believe he was holding the actual blade carried by William Marshall, He kept holding it like it was a museum piece, a trophy for a hunt never fulfilled. It was weighty but perfectly balanced and could be held with one hand if needed.

“ I cant believe you are giving me this Reid, Marshall was a vampire the Priwen had hunted since it’s inception. To know I now own the only thing left of him is …humbling." But what weapon are you to use? Your not still using that hacksaw you fought me with? ”

Jonathan swung back his coat and pulled out the sword he trusted to save his life. Dragonsbane. The sword once owned by Paulus Aurelius, founder of the Brotherhood of St Paul’s Stole. McCullum's jaw dropped, knowing by description alone what it was. An arming sword that could be held in one hand, with a Damascus steel blade, the cross shaped hilt of gold and white steel with a dragon’s head pommel and two sharp fang like spikes that could be used to trap an enemies blade, jutting from the bottom of the quillon. It was still as sharp as the day it was forged.

“My god Reid, is that what I think it is? Talltree always said the sword had been lost but he gave it to you didn’t he, that sneaky bastard. Ah you’re a lucky son of a bitch.”

“ It wasn’t as easy as simply being handed it Geoffrey, I had to solve a riddle and open a secret door, but yes I do feel very fortunate to be the one to own it now. All because I wasn't nosy!” Jonathan tilted the sword to each side, admiring it before sheathing it again in it’s scabbard attached to a belt under his jacket. McCullum laughed , taking one last look at Marshall's sword before handing it to Jonathan.

“Ha!! Well well, you’ll have to tell me the full story another time as it sounds quite a tale. For now though Jonathan, keep Marshall’s sword here. I already carry my trusty blade with me, I’ll return later for this gift. Now let’s not keep the young lady waiting any longer for if I’m getting hungry she must be famished.” 

McCullum looked over to Charlotte and winked. Jonathan wondered, was Geoffrey developing a crush on the young ekon? It was not hard to find Charlotte attractive, She looked otherworldly, not unlike her mother had done. Jonathan sighed happily and nodded his agreement to Geoffrey. He opened the door and the three of them left the Reid Residence, waving to Jonathan’s mother as they did so. 

Three blocks later on the other side of the park was the Wethercroft house. A smallish mansion set in it’s own bare garden. The curtains were not pulled closed, which struck Jonathan as odd. There were no signs of outward mourning. It was still custom to have the curtains closed and a door knocker bound with a black crepe ribbon, but neither of these customs had been done. Perhaps they did not know of Thomas’s death and this could be used to Jonathan’s advantage. He let his senses free and found there were two beating hearts in the property, one at the back downstairs and one upstairs. The one downstairs probably the servant. The one upstairs must be the father. Jonathan knew he’d have to convince Richard Wethercroft to leave the mansion to properly speak to him alone. Perhaps through knowledge of his son.

He walked up to the door and knocked. The other two stood far back out of sight to mortal eyes and pretended to have a conversation whilst they watched intently. As the door opened Jonathan bowed his head in greeting.  
  
"Good evening. My Name is Dr Jonathan Reid. May I speak to a Mr Richard Wethercroft please. I have information about his son."

  
"You are speaking to him, Dr Reid. It is rather late to be paying a call. If this is about my son, he’s gotten himself into trouble again. What has he offered you then? Money? A favour? Do I have to clean up another of his bloody messes? I ask him to collect tenants rent not engage in fraternisation. Reminds me the last lot he was going to see were the Freemans. They still bloody owe me. So what’s he done then that a doctor has to come round at this hour to inform me?”

Jonathan looked at Mr Wethercroft, a dead smile on his face that never reached his eyes. Like father like son it seemed. 

“May we speak in private sir? what I have to say, I do not think your servant should overhear. **Please step outside and we can discuss the delicate news of your son**.”

Richard sneered at glanced behind him, “Yes that may be for the best, that one is nothing but a damn gossip anyway, I’d sack her if I didn’t need her to keep this house tidy. Let me get my coat and I’ll be right out.”

Jonathan noticed the young female servant poke her head from round the kitchen door, her terrified expression and fast heartbeat evident of how she were treated by the Wethercrofts.

As the door briefly closed, Jonathan looked back to Geoffrey and Charlotte, a look of fury on the former’s face and disgust on the latter. They hid their faces again when the door started to open and Mr Wethercroft came out into the cold night air. Jonathan nodded and moved his hand to suggest they walk around the corner of the mansion to talk privately. As they reached the dark alleyway Richard turned and grabbed Jonathan’s arm.

  
"How much did he bribe you? To keep your mouth shut, as you obviously cant if you’re coming to me! You want more do you? Fine I’ll double it. Covered up so many of his bloody dalliances already, what’s one more. What did he do this time by the way?" 

Jonathan simply looked down at his held arm and stared coldly at Mr Wethercroft. “**What exactly do you mean by that Mr Wethercroft?**"

“My bloody son had got a tenant’s daughter pregnant and she became hysterical. Had to get her sent to a asylum I did as she wouldn’t leave us alone, blood crazy bitch. Then I shoved out her family from my property when they started causing a fuss about it. Luckily they died in the flu somewhere in the East End.”

Jonathan had to hold his emotions at bay, but it was becoming increasingly difficult in the face of such a disgusting human being. He reminded him of a Cadogan Bates, a man he’d taken great delight in removing from the populace.

  
"He tried to assault a young lady after forcing her to agree to his sick little game. He threatened her family, the Freemans I believe you mentioned. But he wont be harming anyone now. Neither will you sir, ever again.“

The look of fury and shock in Wethercrofts face suddenly changed to horror as he witnessed a figure of a large man emerge from a black mist behind Jonathan, who ignored it and sneered.

  
”**Stand still!**” Jonathan commanded as another black mist appeared behind Wethercroft. Charlotte gagged the man’s mouth with one of her hands, gripping the shoulder with the other whilst plunging her fangs into his neck and drinking deeply. Wethercroft tried to scream and struggle but was no match for the stronger ekon. He soon fell in a heap as Charlotte released her bite and lifted her face to the sky enjoying the power of fresh human blood coursing through her body for the first time. 

McCullum had stood watch to make sure no one was coming near. He looked around and realised a canal was near by. Grabbing the dead man’s body, he hefted it over his shoulder and shadow-stepped quickly to the canal’s edge before dumping the body in. Then he moved back to the mansion and knocked on the door. The servants sheepishly answered.

“Hello Miss. please **let me in**.” 

The nervous servant obediently opened the door and let McCullum in. He warmly smiled and in his best charming voice began, 

“Please miss, I mean you no harm. **You didn’t see anyone come to the door at all tonight, you just saw your employer grab his coat and leave in a hurry after reading a letter which he threw into the fire.** He seemed very angry about it. He didn’t speak to you about where he was going. I would begin to make other arrangements for your employment as a bit of advice. But do not tell anyone about that. Now I bid you a pleasant night and please no more shaking. You are quite safe now from this family.” 

Looking around he noticed a fine leather wallet on a tray by the door. Examining it, he found Richard Wethercroft’s name embroidered on one side. Inside was quite a bit of money. He took half and left half for the servant telling her to take it home as a final wage but to hide it, then stashed the wallet in his coat to throw in the canal later and left the mansion. Returning to the alley he found Jonathan and Charlotte high above on a balcony, with Jonathan holding Charlotte in his arms. He jumped to join them.

“I heard his last thoughts Jonathan. They spoke of cruel things he would do to me as a woman. He was a vile man. My god, is that normal to hear them? Mother never mentioned that once to me.”

Jonathan let go of the hug and opened his arms out to look at Charlotte with a gentle smile, “ Yes, I’m afraid it is normal and for me the final justification for those I hunt. Their last thoughts are always the truth and they are either as unpleasant as that man was or in some rare cases thankful for me gifting them death.”

McCullum came up beside Charlotte and laid his hand on her shoulder. “Well lass, you have fed well, but your sire and I have not. Johnny, the canal near by has a tunnel with a gated entrance. I swear I can smell some manner of beast in there. You game?”

Jonathan smiled and nodded “That sounds like an excellent plan Geoffrey. We can show Charlotte fighting techniques by example, lead on.” 

They made their way to the tunnel entrance and opened the gate walking down slimy stairs into a canal overflow system. After venturing deep into the tunnel network they came across a large open grated floor below them, filled with bones and splatters of blood on the walls. McCullum and Jonathan looked at each other and thought the same thing - Vulkod. Both jumped down into the room telling Charlotte to stay above and soon enough a hulking figure of a man came into the light, his inky black skin glistening from the sickly lights in the ceiling. He began to scream nonsense about the Ascalon rejecting him and it was all Jonathan’s fault they didn’t trust vulkods any more.

As he began to charge, Jonathan gathered all his strength and bade the shadows into spikes that lifted the vulkod into the air and pierced through his body as McCullum lunged forward with his sword, plunging it deep into the bulky frame. The vulkod screamed obscenities before crashing to the ground as the shadows dissipated. Then Jonathan clenched his fist and blood started to pour out of the vulkods stunned body straight into him. He stood for a moment enjoying the feeling of fresh blood entering his system before looking at McCullum and nodding. Together they barrelled into the vulkod, throwing him back against the wall and each drove their swords into the creature’s shoulders, pinning him there. Then they lunged at the pinned creature’s throat tearing into it and drinking quickly whilst the monster raged beneath them.

Charlotte all the while, knelt on the edge of the pit and watched, enthralled. Suddenly she heard Jonathan’s voice in her head ‘_ join us_’ which she promptly did, sweeping down to the weakening vulkod and driving her sword deep into it’s heart before pulling it out and licking the blade clean as it slumped dead. Jonathan and McCullum released their blades letting the body collapse with the latter quickly decapitating it to make sure. They all stood there for a moment enjoying the victory of the hunt and the power of the blood in them before Jonathan rushed McCullum and kissed him, grinning as he released it.

  
"I need to go hunting with you more often, That was immensely satisfying.” 

Laughing, Charlotte wrapped her arms around both of them and squeezed. “ You two were amazing, you used your connection to work as one. I could feel every gesture before it happened. I want to try them myself. I need to know what I am capable of!"

  
“If it’s anything like me, then we can both do what Reid can do, we share his blood, thus we share his abilities. It comes naturally too, as if your blood shows you what to do. But first I need to show you how to use that sword properly.” 

For the next hour McCullum guided Charlotte through various lunge, parry and slash techniques often using the vulkod corpse as a training dummy. He showed her how different moves could produce different wounds on a body and how holding a sword just so would allow her to drive all her force through the blade into her enemy. Combined with her knowledge of fencing and jujitsu, her technique became like that of a ballet. 

Jonathan watched with pride until he heard a familiar screech come from one of the tunnels. Feral skals must have smelled the corpse and were making their way to them. What better opportunity than this to let Charlotte practice her skills. She nervously nodded whilst the two ekon leaped up to the walkway above, just as a gate opened and a screeching feral skal entered followed by two more.

She had only seen corpses of them in alleys before and now here were three standing in front of her snarling. She called on her blood and sent forth a spear of it at the nearest one who screamed as it pierced it’s flesh and fell to it’s knees, then she dashed forward in a black smoke before slashing her sword across it’s chest. The skal screamed again this time with such ferocity that it sent Charlotte staggering back.

She immediately gathered her wits, noticing the other two had started to close in on her and she began to snarl and clench her hands, before red shimmering versions of herself shot out and attacked each skal savagely. The now stunned skal near to her, she lunged towards, sinking her fangs into and draining dry, replenishing her own blood and then she swept across the room using her faster form to cut the head off the other closest skal who was reeling from her previous attack. The last one had staggered back and was regrouping itself for another attack. This time she used the same technique Jonathan had done and forced the skal to a sudden stop, it’s blood spilling out and into her, then swung her blade across it's throat. As it fell to the floor dead she yelled with the adrenaline coursing through her and the two ekon above began to cheer.

“A force of nature indeed!!! Bravo Miss Charlotte, Bravo!” McCullum enthusiastically clapped, his adoration clear for Jonathan to see, as he jumped down and hugged her and she returned his embrace. 

Jonathan smiled lovingly at both of them. He mused, they made a fine trio, albeit a quirky one! He could ask for no better companions. The man he loved deeply and a woman he was growing fonder of by the moment, who he knew McCullum had emerging feelings for as well. Perhaps it would not be so wrong for them to stay together, learn from each other, protect each other, love each other. But that would be for Charlotte and her alone to decide. She had her own destiny and he would be there to guide her if she wished. 

Ekons so often led a lonely existence or one filled with others of their kind who cared not a thing for them or anything. They were lucky indeed. He felt Elizabeth would be happy for him in some way and hoped she would be proud of how Charlotte had become such a strong ekon. His thoughts were stopped by Charlotte standing in front of him, her hand touching his arm. 

“So I’ve fought feral skals, seen a ‘vulkod’ fall and had my first taste of mortal blood. What’s next?” she beamed as she looked back at McCullum who returned the grin. 

“Well Charlotte, you must know most of the denizens of the West End quite well, although there is one you may never have met who I’ll introduce you to first. But then there are plenty of others who you will see, those McCullum and I protect. We can take a brisk walk through the districts with Geoffrey making sure we don’t run into any Priwen patrols. We are quite close to the gate to Temple so we can start there, then Whitechapel and then Pembroke, the docks and finally back to the West End. Later we can venture further out into London. But that should do for tonight.”

The three of them made their way back out of the storm sewer and walked through the park, around the back of Temple Church, down into it’s crypt that was the office of Usher Talltree, Primate of the Brotherhood of St Paul’s Stole. Usher looked up from his cards and smiled, his reading had been right again.

“Good evening Dr Reid and to your new young Progenies. It is always a pleasure to meet new faces and old ones. Jonathan, why do you come here specifically?” 

McCullum snorted and looked away, of course Usher would know he was an ekon, no point in hiding it. He dropped his glamour to save energy. Usher glanced at him again and his smiled broadened into a rather condescending grin. McCullum knew he should have waited outside. He went to leave, but Charlotte held tight to his arm. She seemed rather perturbed at this quiet man who held no fear for three ekon standing in front of him. Jonathan could feel her unease and interjected.

“Usher, I’m here to introduce you to Lady Charlotte Ashbury and to inform you of recent events that your brotherhood might be interested to know.”

“A pleasure Lady Ashbury. I knew another of that title once. I hope you bare the same refinement as she. I have something for you to borrow, maybe one day, when you return it, we may speak more but I believe I need to hear what Dr Reid has to say now.”

Usher stood up then and shook Charlotte’s hand, giving her a hand bound leather book to read which she took and started leafing through it’s pages, with McCullum looking over her shoulder. He then guided Jonathan to the back of the room to speak more privately.

Jonathan told him all about how he had defeated the Disaster and Red Queen and how the skal epidemic had come to be through Edgar Swansea’s lack of ethics. His discovery of how vampire blood takes over human and his worry for Edgar now he was an ekon too. McCullum watched as the two talked noticing how Usher’s face fell when ever Jonathan mentioned Swansea. What were the guidelines the Brotherhood had if one of their own was turned? He’d never known and the Guard certainly weren't privy to the information. But what ever the case, Jonathan seemed content with the reply Usher had given him. He shook the man’s hand and joined the other two as the Primate went back to his table and cards. 

“Please Lady Ashbury, do call on me again. I do so love to talk to your kind and a new face is always a welcome change and Mr McCullum, If you ever wish to chat, you know where I am. It will be most fascinating to hear your accounts. Thank you Dr Reid for all you have told me. Please keep me informed of developments.” 

Charlotte looked up from the book and silently voiced her thanks to Usher for the gift as her voice would crack should she speak, for what she was reading was eye opening. It was a transcribed account of an Elizabeth Samantha Mary Englewood from Hertfordshire, who had become the progeny of Sir William Marshall, as written by Marshall himself. It gave Charlotte new knowledge of who her mother had been all those centuries ago.

McCullum simply snorted and walked out, glad to be out of the musty crypt. He’d always hated having to speak to that man when he was a mortal and had no desire to ‘chat’ with him now he was an ekon. Jonathan nodded his head and left with Charlotte who tucked the small book into her coat pocket. Outside McCullum gently stopped Charlotte.

“Hope that book hasn’t upset you too much. Talltree always knows how to get under people’s skin, no matter if they be mortal or immortal. I don’t know what that man is but he isn’t normal."

  
”No it’s alright Geoffrey, it’s actually an interesting read what I’ve had chance to look over. But thank you for your concern. Jonathan, you may wish to read this yourself.” She pulled the book out to show Jonathan, but he closed his hand over hers. 

“No Elizabeth didn’t wish to discuss with me her past, only that I knew her as Elizabeth Ashbury and I respected that. Usher gave you that book probably knowing that. Perhaps Elizabeth had meant you to read it.” 

In silence then they made their way past the old Dawson mansion which was up for sale and into Whitechapel. Jonathan perked back up and regaled Charlotte with tails of all the characters he had met there and those who still called this their home. McCullum kept close watch in case any patrols had gone off rota, but it seemed quiet as if any trouble the Guard had already dealt with and moved on. Then as they made their way out of there into Poplar Faubourg, the district the Pembroke Hospital sat in, Jonathan paused, forcing the other two to stop. 

“ Charlotte. I am about to introduce you to another of your kin if you wish. An ekon I was forced to make after he was beaten near to death.“

He glanced at Geoffrey who looked at him with a half hearted sorry expression. “ He is the administrator of this hospital and one your mother must have mentioned to you before. His name is Dr Edgar Swansea.”

“Oh yes, she mentioned him a few times as did you when you told me how the epidemic came to be. The epidemic caused by his using my mother’s blood without consent. So he is an ekon like us now hmm. I’m not sure I want to meet this one or at least I don’t think he’d be pleased to hear what I’d have to say to him.”

Charlotte bristled at the name of Swansea. If it hadn’t been for his meddling then her mother would never have felt the need to kill herself. There would likely not have been a skal epidemic upon London in the first place. 

Jonathan understood all too well. He had done his best to avoid Edgar and wished he could have done something else to have saved the man’s life. But now he was an ekon and a different sort of problem to deal with than just a doctor with an ethics issue. Perhaps then another time. As he thought to leave he felt McCullum disappear into the hospital and realised his other progeny felt it was due time to meet with his blood brother. Jonathan sighed and shadow-stepped with Charlotte up to his office and asked her to stay there whilst he tracked McCullum down. She agreed and began to peruse his small collection of books.

McCullum felt all the frustration and anger coming off both Charlotte and Jonathan when they discussed Swansea. He’d not seen the man since the night he’d been turned and had heard a few disturbing things from the guards who visited the hospital under disguise. Things like although the hospital was almost fully recovered there was always a shortage of donated blood, which was never in great supply to start with. That the Administrator was hardly ever seen by staff or patients alike, but when he did appear it was always brief and rather curt. No Geoffrey thought, it was high time he had a chat with his new kin.

He strode through the hospital which was far too busy to even notice him this time. As he arrived at Swansea’s office door he realised the man was not inside. He looked around and noticed a heartbeat above him. Realising the ekon was in the loft, McCullum paused. 

Was this a reverse trap? Had Swansea been waiting all this time for McCullum to return. He’d not given the orders to beat the doctor to a pulp, simply told his men to get information out about the epidemic. Seems the good doctor had kept his mouth shut until they’d used a lot of force. Maybe it was time to deal with this and he made his way carefully up into the loft area. As the lift came to a halt, McCullum saw Dr Swansea standing in the middle of the cluttered room, his back to the lift door. McCullum slowly opened the gate and stepped out, his hand resting on his sword pommel.   
  
"Hello Woodsman. Here to collect another head?” chimed Edgar nervously as he slowly turned to face McCullum. “I’m not a fighter and knew one day you would come here. I felt your presence just now and knew there would be nowhere to run, so I came up here. "

“You setting a trap for me now coward? You do know I know about the lights, used them on Reid in fact.” McCullum snapped as he now looked around the loft space. Tables of various experiments, shelves of books and areas filled with various equipment that he had no idea what they did were everywhere. It reminded him of the description of the mad scientists laboratory in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

“I had them removed. I had them in as a precaution should this place be attacked. After you used them on Jonathan I couldn’t bare them here to be used ever again. I set this place up as my laboratory into the trans-formative use of vampire blood.” Replied Edgar as he slowly walked around the room, his arms sweeping around as if to show off everything. “If I can specify what makes our blood able to heal us so fast, it could have amazing implications for treating conditions we have no cure for now!”

  
"You never learn, with whose blood this time Swansea?” McCullum growled, looking towards one of the tables which had a huge test-tube filled with bubbling blood. Ekon blood.

“My own!” yelled Swansea, who was now standing behind one of the tables as if he felt that could protect him from McCullum’s anger. “Only my own! I use donated human blood, not live subjects. I’m so close to a breakthrough I know it.”

McCullum started pacing around the various tables, “ What happens if you do find something Swansea? What then? Have you thought about that? How will you break this news to the world? That vampires exist and that their blood can heal people? You’re so preoccupied with whether or not you could, you didn’t stop to think if you should. If you went public with a discovery like this, you’d open the eyes of the world to vampires and I don’t think our kind would be best pleased.”

  
"Mr McCullum I thought the public knowing about vampires was one of the Priwen’s goals? ” Edgar stammered, backing up against one of the book shelves.

McCullum stomped around to Edgar and jammed a finger to his chest, “ No, we know the risks of the public becoming aware of the existence of vampires. Any who come to the Guard to fight, already know. But the rest would either think us mad or probably go mad themselves. There would be chaos, panic in the streets. Have you thought for a moment if it came to pass though, that vampires would be hunted down, not to be killed but harvested for their blood to make this miracle cure. The world is industrious, vampires would be farmed. Ekon like Reid? He’s existence would become known. A vampire doctor. Did you think for a second how that could affect him? No you just thought of yourself as fucking usual. How you could find a new wonder treatment and become famous. Well it would make you famous Swansea, for all the wrong reasons. You’re an ekon too!”

He turned around and swept his hands over the room, “ This has to stop Swansea. For your sake. For Jonathan’s sake. This is dangerous! ”

Edgar looked at McCullum with barely contained resentment and a little jealousy, “Jonathan is it? You two become close have you? So that’s who he’d been spending time with when not here, I knew it. You smell of him, it’s disgusting. How could he fraternise with a huntsman of all people. And no, I wont stop. This isn’t about me, this is about saving mortal people’s lives.”

  
"It isn’t though is it ” Jonathan said as he closed the lift doors. He’d heard what Geoffrey had said to Edgar and the latter’s replies. Geoffrey was right, this was too dangerous. He’d seen what the news of vampires existence could do to a fragile mind in his friend Clarence. He also knew what a group like the Ascalon club would do to any human who tried to use a cure involving their blood. It would become war and ekons like he, Geoffrey and Charlotte would become victims to it.

“When you used Elizabeth’s blood, you did it without asking because you knew she would have refused. Not because she knew her blood was infected but because what the results could be if something was found from our blood. Our blood is so inherently different to mortals that there is no way ours could heal theirs without changing them as well. Our blood is as much a predator as we are ourselves. But you didn’t care then and you don’t care now, because you lack the ethics to see past your own desire for discovery. I learnt all too well the price of that in the war. Please stop this. Go back to being the Administrator of this hospital as Elizabeth asked you to be.”

Edgar stood off from the bookshelf he had been backed against and walked closer to Jonathan, a pleading look in his eyes. “ You know I’m not a monster Jonathan, everything I do, I do to help people. It’s all I’ve ever cared about, i swear. Why I took this role in the hospital. I’ve done great things here. Kept this place going when it was on it’s knees. All I want to do is give something back. I know vampire blood is the key to that, I know it. I cannot stop, not when I’m so close.”

He closed the distance, taking Jonathan’s hand in his own, looking back over his shoulder at McCullum who stood looking at one of Edgar’s experiments with a disgusted look on his face. "I know you felt hurt at what I did with Elizabeth’s blood, I felt it. I know you have closed yourself off from me for that reason. But to share your life with that beast, one who had killed without care many who would have shared their knowledge. How could you? I saved you back on that dock and you saved me in that theatre. Why wont you confide in me? Are we not friends?” 

Jonathan looked down at Swansea’s hand holding his. Edgar had indeed been there when he needed a friend. Been there, just at the right time. But had it all been one sided? Had Edgar simply realised the potential Jonathan had in being a blood specialist recently turned into an ekon. If Edgar was already experimenting with Elizabeth’s blood he must have thought it was his birthday when Jonathan walked into that room in The Turtle, all those nights ago. To have an eminent surgeon and blood transfusion specialist in your debt. He would have known Jonathan would have wanted to investigate, so offering him a job at the Pembroke was the perfect cover. Maybe Edgar had been a friend, but there was too much behind his ‘friendship’ to ignore.

"Once maybe Edgar, but no more. You refuse to see the wrong in what you are doing. You told me after your turning how mundane mortal affairs no longer concern you. That alone was enough to cause me concern and my worries have proven correct. You haven’t learnt anything. You’re using your blood because it is powerful, because I am your sire and it’s the closest thing to using mine! I turned you because this hospital needed you. But it doesn’t need you any more. You haven’t been it’s administrator for a while now whilst hiding yourself away up here and it’s doing very well without you. Dr Tippets has been doing your job for you. In fact he’s withheld his retirement to assist as acting, although Nurse, soon to be Doctor Branagan does most of the paper work. Did you even realise that? I want you to resign Edgar, to leave here and go to Usher. I’m sure they can find a use for a member of their organisation who is also a vampire. As for who I spend my time with, it is none of your concern. It never will be your concern.”

Jonathan dropped his hand forcing Edgar to let go and whimper. “ I cant go to them Jonathan, they’d never allow it! Observe, discourse, but do not become involved. That was the basic rule. I broke it allowing you here. I’ve always been a black sheep to them. They’d never allow me in their halls. I don’t want to leave here.”

“Think of it as another grand experiment. I think you may be surprised at what Usher will say. But your time here must end.” Jonathan walked around one of the experiment tables, “Your lack of ethics blinds you to the danger in your research. IT ENDS NOW.”

Edgar bowed his head. So this was really it. Jonathan no longer cared for him at all. He had nothing left except his grand work and that too had to end or the huntsman behind him would surely make sure it did. He had no option but to agree to Jonathan’s demands. He slowly nodded his head in agreement and began to shut off the power to his experiments.

“You words hurt deeply Jonathan, for they come from a friend. I helped you remember?”

Jonathan watched as the doctor slowly shut down all his experiments. “Yes I remember.”

  
”The second I saw you in that bar I knew we would accomplish great things, you and I” Edgar stammered as he shut off the final burner, his voice sounding so dejected, cut with the rejection he felt.

“I thought you were a vampire, until you brandished that cross Edgar.” Jonathan wondered, was he doing the right thing? Usher had said they’d take care of Edgar. He wondered what he meant by that.

Edgar, saw for a brief moment the self questioning Jonathan was thinking. perhaps all was not lost. “You looked so lost when you opened that door. For a few seconds I thought you were there to kill me. Now I have fear of what will come next. The brotherhood do not take kindly to our members becoming ekon but maybe Usher will find me useful. I will arrange a transfer of authority to Dr Tippets and announce my resignation, you have my word Jonathan. For I know now that if I do not the hunter at my back will surely take me down”

“Guarantee it brother ” Hissed McCullum into Edgar’s ear. He’d never liked the doctor as a mortal and now as his blood brother, he could sense the conflicted feelings in Swansea. Yet he felt no sympathy for him. Jonathan would have to explain to the other doctors about the weird experiments happening In the hospital loft, somehow. He’d have to remove and destroy all samples of the ekon blood and clean away any evidence. Not being part of the Priwen any more meant McCullum could easily enforce what Jonathan demanded as the Brotherhood would not see it as breaking their pact of non-hostilities. Course kidnapping a member could have been but they didn’t do anything which made him wonder about how much they cared for Swansea to begin with. 

“Reid, I’ll head to your office. I guess you’ll want to stay here and sort this fucking mess out.” He swept his hands over the room, watching as Jonathan nodded to him and began to collect the blood samples in the room.

“Yes thank you Geoffrey. I’ll be there soon.” Jonathan smiled as he heard Geoffrey’s voice in his head tell him that he’d wait with Charlotte until Jonathan was done. He noticed Edgar made no motion of hearing it, so realised Geoffrey could control his thought projection as well as he. He packed the ekon and experimented human blood away into a box, and watched as Edgar slumped out of the room and down into his office locking the door behind him. After Jonathan had incinerated all the experiments he checked Edgar’s office to find him gone with a number of loose letters left on his desk. One to Dr Tippets and one to Nurse Branagan. He checked the letters in case Swansea had said something incriminating, which thankfully they didn’t and went to his office to find Geoffrey sitting with Charlotte laughing.

“Was just telling miss Charlotte you named your plant Lisa!”

“It was my cat’s name when I was a child. Anyway we are finished here, let’s move on.” Jonathan said with a slight sulk. He’d loved that cat, but felt it wasn’t safe for him to have another pet in case. The plant had thrived during the deadliest time in the city and he felt quite protective of it.

Charlotte took Jonathan’s hand, “We don’t mean to mock Jonathan, it’s a lovely plant, you’ve taken good care of her. Geoffrey told me all about what Dr Swansea had been doing, I’m glad you stopped him. I know he was your friend or you would never have turned him. But he was wrong and he couldn’t see it. He was lucky to be left alive. I don’t think I could have done that.”

“I’m not sure which is the worst punishment Charlotte, death or me sending him to the Brotherhood. Talltree had fallen quite dour when I mentioned about what Edgar had done before. He’d told me the Brotherhood has methods for dealing with their members turned ekon, that they would take care of him if such a need arose. But he didn’t go into detail and that concerns me somewhat. But I couldn’t kill Edgar. He had saved me and helped me before. He’s left now. Left whilst I cleaned up his mess. I will check with Usher to make sure he went there. If not ……" Jonathan glanced at McCullum, who nodded once, “ I will let Geoffrey deal with him. Now please let us leave here and we will take you back home for I can feel the sun will soon rise and don’t want to be stuck here tonight.”

The three of them left the hospital and dashed across the canal back into the West End. Charlotte requested them to stay again at her mansion and they had both gladly accepted for the place felt like a sanctuary. 

McCullum held Jonathan tightly that night in bed, knowing his sire was deeply effected by what he’d had to do. If Swansea had fled and not gone to the Brotherhood, McCullum swore he would end him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character notes
> 
> On the subject of Dr Swansea - It always grated on me that in order for me to not let Pembroke fall to Hostile status, i had to turn Swansea. His creepy as hell attitude once an ekon, always left me with a bad taste. (In fact the only time i let him die was during my no kill play through and even then Pembroke never got above critical. I fed on him when i did my 'dragon playthrough and cared not for a hostile status then) how could a doctor who never seemed to leave his office be that much of a pillar to the hospital community! There should have been a timer or something, if you reached him in time you could saved him, if not then you are left with the other options.  
I also found it interesting how the Brotherhood weren't at all concerned with one of their own members being abducted and tortured by the Priwen Guard. The two groups had a pact of some sort for Pembroke to be neutral territory. Was Swansea that much of a 'black sheep' to them? 
> 
> ON Elizabeth. - I wish we had seen her in her true form at one point as seen in a concept art, where she had white skin and black on red eyes. Like when she snarls at Jonathan near the beginning of the game. From her years being Elizabeth Blackwood or just like Jonathan's with red scleras. Her very bright green eyes but otherwise perfect complexion was to me an obvious glamour.  
see here https://www.artstation.com/artwork/4mR5W for what i refer to.
> 
> I know Lisa the plant is named after a character in Dontnods other game series Life is Strange, but how to explain it in this game world. Jonathan had a cat. yup. He's a cat person. Had to be. McCullum is definitely a dog person.
> 
> EDIT - to add a reference to the fact suffragettes trained in Jujitsu as a way to defend themselves. Knowing Charlotte probably did means she is going to be even more of a bad ass soon.


	9. A Reckoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan realises that it Dr Edgar Griffith Swansea is not the friend he thought he was...(warning..this isnt going to end well for Swansea.)

* * *

  
The sun set on the horizon and Jonathan awoke to find McCullum as usual had risen before him and was busy cleaning his crossbow, it’s parts all laid out on a little table as he oiled the mechanisms. As he began to dress, Jonathan mentioned to McCullum that he planned to visit Usher that night to ask if Swansea had turned himself over to them and just the thought of being in the presence of the Primate turned McCullum’s stomach.

“I’ll pass coming with you Reid. Need to check in on my old lot anyway. Been a few nights since I’d seen any of them. You go on ahead. If you need me I’ll be at my place. I’ll make sure Charlotte is ok, but I believe she has some of her stuff to do anyway. Now take care of yourself, you hear me.”

Putting on his coat, Jonathan leant down to the other and kissed him on the forehead, taking in the man’s clean scent, before walking out the door.

“Always do Geoffrey. If anything comes up, I’ll let you know.”

Jonathan left the Ashbury mansion after bidding Charlotte good bye and headed over to the Temple crypts. Usher was as usual reading his cards and didn’t look up at the approaching ekon. Jonathan cleared his throat in case, so as not to surprise him.

“Usher, If I may have a moment of your time. I went to see Edgar last night. He hadn’t stopped with his dangerous experiments, hiding them away in Pembroke. It came to head and I forced him to stop and leave the hospital. Told him to come here as you had suggested. I needed to check if he is indeed here as the worry wont leave me.“

Usher, sighed and finally looked up, his face a look of resignation and acceptance.

”Ah the seven of swords indicated deceit along with Tower card. I had a feeling that pride would come before a fall. Edgar has not come here Jonathan. I told you we would take care of him should the need arise, but I feel Edgar knew what that meant and has fled judgement. Not for becoming an ekon as he probably thinks. After all our founder was one. No, it was his recklessness that put the knowledge of vampires at risk as well as being the origin of the disaster that happened. For the Red Queen needed a vessel and he indirectly gave her one. We are small in number and many of our sanctums are no longer occupied. But a scholar like Edgar would know of some of them. I will give you two locations to start looking. You have veto to do what you see fit. It is a shame such a brilliant mind has become so warped but Edgar always was a tricky one to understand. ”

Usher handed Jonathan a note with two addresses on it and returned to his cards.

Jonathan did not expect to hear so much from Usher, he hadn’t given much away last time they spoke but it seemed he’d now been given the authority to deal with one of their members. As he left Usher, he looked at the note he’d been given. The crypts of two old churches in London -St Olave and St Bartholomew.

He lifted his head to the night sky as rain fell down onto his face. How could he do this, how could Edgar lie to him again and expect Jonathan not to find out. Surely he knew he would check up on his whereabouts. A sickening feeling started in his stomach, a hunch he hoped wasn’t true and he dashed through the city, back to the Pembroke and up to the loft which was now of course empty, bar a few smashed beakers. He had not had the time to remove the apparatus himself and made his way to Edgar’s old office in which Dr Corcoran Tippets now sat behind the large desk, writing out letters and reading reports. He beckoned Jonathan over.

“Ah Dr Reid, good of you to drop by. I’ve been meaning to tell you, I wanted to let you know that I am more than happy to allow you to continue on as doctor here in the capacity you’re already in as consultant. You have been a boon to this hospital and a good colleague to myself. As Administrator I formally notify you of no change to your commission and your office is still yours. The night shift is glad to have you. Now is there something you wished to discuss?”

Jonathan smiled warmly. The thought had crossed his mind that a new administrator might not want such a surgeon as himself in the cover he’d been given under Swansea and what he'd might have to do, to secure his commission here. But he had made good friends with Corcoran and helped him so perhaps that had paid off.

“Thank you Dr Tippets, that is very appreciated. I was wondering, Has any equipment been moved from the loft recently?”

Dr Tippets looked confused for a moment, the loft was unused apart from Storage according to Dr Swansea.

"I didn’t realise there was anything of note in the loft, Dr Reid. We had thought of converting it into a teaching theatre but have not had the funds to do so. Other than I know Dr Swansea had stored some items up there as he had popped round one evening to collect them. Why, is anything wrong?”

“Oh no, I just wondered what the room might be used for. The sound of the teaching theatre sounds very good. Perhaps in the future. And thank you again for allowing me to continue here.” 

Jonathan left the office and sighed. The bad feeling he’d had, had been confirmed at seeing the loft empty. The fact Swansea had come back meant he had collected his apparatus and was probably using them. Damn that man and his stubborn pride. If he was experimenting again, that would be the last straw. He knew he had to find him, but that there was no way he could do it alone, not this time. So he set off for the docks. 

  
As he lifted his hand to knock on McCullum’s door, it opened and McCullum grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him in, slamming the door shut and proceeded to kiss him passionately. Releasing the kiss, he grinned at Jonathan, who smiled back at him gasping, slightly take aback.

“What? Now I got you Reid, I plan to take every opportunity I can. Plus thought you’d need cheering up. Those dour feelings I felt earlier were yours right? What’s happened then?” 

McCullum leant against his desk, waiting to see what Jonathan had to say.

“Edgar is missing Geoffrey. He didn’t go to Talltree like he said he would. Usher has given me two old Brotherhood sanctum addresses he might have fled to and I need you with me for what ever may happen if we find him, as I don’t think I can do this alone.“ 

“That bastard lied to your face and had the nerve to call you his friend! Don’t tell me. You think he’s doing his experiments still don’t you.“ 

Jonathan saw McCullum grip the edge of the desk so hard his claws splintered some of the wood. It was an anger Jonathan understood.

“We need to locate him. I know London well and I think he may be in the latter of the two locations. St Olave is a small church with a smaller crypt, but St Bartholomew is close to the hospital of the same name and was once a vast complex. It would make sense to choose there. There are houses next to the church that were bombed heavily and may be our ticket into getting into the crypt through tunnels as I don’t know about you, but I cannot enter a church still, even though I am a man of science and not at all religious.”

McCullum stood up and started to ponder as he walked around his desk and collected his gear. He’d not been near a church since his turning. He knew Sean Hampton held no fear of religious iconography, probably due to his innate faith, but McCullum’s had been tested ever since his mother had died at the hands of his father and he had to hunt down his brother Ian.

“Hmm, probably not, though not had call to try. Alright Reid, I’m with you. But are you sure Talltree is good with this? It matters not to me what he thinks of me, but you got something half decent with him and I wouldn’t want it ruined.” 

“Usher gave me this note and told me I have complete veto on what I do, what ever that might be. Let’s go before I change my mind.”

St Bartholomews wasn’t far and they soon found themselves standing outside a set of ruined houses that once sat in Bartholomews Close. Inspecting the basements, they found a open tunnel system that seemed to come from the hospital towards the church, a throwback to when the church held far more land than it now occupied. This was the thing Jonathan hoped for and soon enough they came across a smashed open door and through it, a vast candle lit crypt that stretched beyond the length of the church itself. The two ekons looked at each other and nodded, McCullum venturing off down one way, whilst Jonathan took another.

Walking as silently as he could, Jonathan began to notice one area further on was more brightly lit than before and he carefully made his way there. Turning a corner he came across a site that made him stifle a gasp with his hand. Strapped to a sheet covered table, was a gaunt ekon, his face covered with a sack cloth and his body pierced with tubes that drained his blood into containers. Surrounding him were tables filled with various lab equipment, much of which he recognised from the Pembroke. Numerous experiments were happening on each table.

  
Jonathan crept over to the table and examined the ekon. A young man, that had obviously been through a lot as a mortal, as his body was riddled in scars. As Jonathan examined him he came across a tattoo on his left arm and had to silently curse. A large letter P with horizontal line running through it. The Guard of Priwen symbol. He lifted the sack hood and under it was the tear stained face of a young blonde haired man, who seemed to be unconscious.

“Laudanum is a fascinating drug on ekon, puts them into a coma like state.” Edgar came out from the shadowy recess near Jonathan and made his way behind a large table, a liston knife in his hand.

“Edgar, what have you done?! This man is a Priwen Guard! Did you turn him Edgar?” Jonathan’s mind reeled with what he was seeing and the man standing in front of him. His labcoat was dirty and speckled with blood. Edgar’s eyes were bloodshot and haloed by heavy dark circles, similar to Lord Redgraves. He looked like a hollow version of the man he once knew.

  
“Oh Yes. I found him badly wounded when I was making my way here, quite serendipitous really. I found him in a abandoned building near by, whilst looking for a way in, hiding from the sewer beast that had mortally harmed him. I needed ekon blood for my experiments and well how ironic that a Priwen should give me that! He was delirious when I came to him, asking me to help him, thinking I was a doctor. I had a theory about laudanum, so I gave him some to make him compliant and then turned him. When he became an ekon, the drug was still in his system and as you can see this is the result. Fascinating really. I written down all my studies on it if you wish to read them.”

“My god, this is madness! Not only what you done this to a young man, you’re still experimenting even after everything. Your morbid fascination and thirst for glory know no bounds! You lied to me. You never went to Usher. He was willing to help you Edgar!”

Jonathan looked down at the sickly ekon on the table, “ How could you do this! Turn this man to become your living blood bank!! ”

Edgar jammed the knife into the table and pressed a button there. A spot light over Jonathan lit up, his skin beginning to burn from the orichalcum and ultra violet light that shone down over him. Jonathan fell to his knees, trying to cover his face from the burning light, turning to see the unconscious ekon was burning too. Edgar must have put it there in case this ekon woke up!

“How dare you judge me. Must I name the alarming list of your victims? Your progeny that you have made? The Brotherhood cared not for me, They didn’t lift a finger when I was abducted! “ Edgar turned off the light but held his finger over the button.

Jonathan gasped as he stood up, recovering his senses as his skin quickly healed. “We are both deceivers Edgar… but at least I know I am a monster! Lest not forget I turned you because your deceit nearly led to your death. But this…this is too much, you have snapped Edgar, have you no shame?”

  
“Shame is for mortals. I now it now and you should too! I don’t want to fight you, help me Jonathan, I want you by my side! Together we can solve this great puzzle of ekon blood’s healing powers. Not for humanity, but for the sheer knowledge. The thrill of discovery! I know that excites you as much as me. No, I will not stop and you wont kill me Jonathan, you couldn’t let me die in that theatre, you couldn’t kill me in the hospital and you wont now. Because we share a bond you and I. You deny it but you came to find me didn’t you?“

Jonathan bowed his head, tears forming in his eyes. The Edgar he knew was a lie. The truth was coming out now, the man before him was an ekon that had given up his humanity. All he cared now was what he could do, consequences be damned. As he looked back up at Edgar, he caught a shadow move behind him.

”I’m sorry Edgar. I wont help you. You have cast aside all your humanity in pursuit of some tainted glory. I know you wont halt what you are doing but god help me, I cannot bring myself to stop you, because of how you once helped me… But he can.”

Before Edgar could react to what Jonathan meant, his attention was suddenly drawn to the sword blade poking through his chest and McCullum standing behind him. He didn’t have time to cry out or move his hand, before the sword was withdrawn and brought across his neck, severing his head from his shoulders.

“I told you I would end you. Brother.” McCullum whispered as he lowered the sword, watching the body slump to the floor. He began to look towards Jonathan but his eyes were drawn to the body behind him on the table. He shadow-stepped over and looked down at the young man there. His eyes began to fill with blood soaked tears as he tried to rouse the unconscious ekon, whose skin had not healed from the light that had burnt it.

“Terry! Wake up lad, it’s me Geoffrey. Oh come on now! Wake up!” McCullum went to bite his own wrist to feed to the boy, but Jonathan gripped it to stop him.

“It wont work Geoffrey, I can feel it. Edgar said he gave him laudanum before he turned him, the effect looks to be as if the boy is in a unwake-able coma now. If he did ever wake up, I’m not sure what state he would be in, if he’d ever recover.”

McCullum felt Reid’s hand on his wrist loosen and move to his shoulder, trying to comfort him and it helped somewhat. The poor boy, only just turned 16 last week, was now a tortured, half starved ekon, who looked like there was only half a life in him.

“Terry was a good kid. He’d joined as his mother had become a skal from infection. He wasn’t much of a fighter and I told him to stay at the base and help our medics but he wanted to be involved more…He’d not want this life. Our life… He was a vegetarian for gods sake, couldn’t even kill a rat. I have to…have to end his suffering.”

McCullum stood up and wiped his eyes with his coat sleeve, Lifting his sword up over his head, he brought it down over the young ekon’s neck, severing the head in one clean stroke. Then he grabbed a nearby oil lantern and smashed it over the body, setting it ablaze.

“I wish I had made Swansea suffer…pinned him to a wall and let that light burn the bastard. He didn’t deserve a quick death. Not for what he’s done.”

He stomped over to one of the experiment tables and smashed his sword across, destroying everything on it. With a resigned sigh, Jonathan took the queue and joined in. All evidence of the experiments were destroyed and piled into a back corner. Edgar’s body and head were dumped on top of the debris and set alight. The various chemicals amongst the debris went up in a bloom of fire and the two ekons had to stand back. The shape of the crypt acted like an oven and the detritus was soon consumed. Jonathan and McCullum watched as all the evidence of Edgar’s folly turned to ash and the fire petered out to nothing, a sense of finality as the embers cooled.

“This is the second time I’ve watched as someone I cared about has gone up in flames Geoffrey. Though I cannot say that this time the fate was not deserved. I…I will have to inform Usher and they can remove any trace of what has happened here.”

Jonathan sighed heavily at what had just transpired. Edgar had saved him, had given him shelter and guidance when he needed it the most, but had unbeknown to Jonathan, used him to his own goals. He had seemed so thrilled to be turned and the coldness that came across when Jonathan had spoken to him after, It should have been a warning. If Jonathan knew what kind of ekon Edgar would have turned into, he would have let him die and done what he could to have protected The Pembroke from catastrophe. He just wanted to leave.

“I’m so tired Geoffrey, I want to get away from here.”

“Reid, come back to mine. I don’t think you should be alone and I don’t think Charlotte needs see you like this. Come on. I’ll ….I’ll even speak to Talltree for you.”

Jonathan slowly nodded his head in agreement and they left the scene in silence, making their way back through to the West End. They made their way into the Temple crypt and McCullum walked forward, leaving Jonathan to lean against the wall just outside, to speak to Usher who glanced up, his eyebrows rising above his glasses at the approaching ekon.

“Talltree…the deed is done. You know what I mean. You will need to clear up the mess in your hideout in St Barts. There isn’t much left but ash though. Next time, do your own dirty work.”

“Thank you Geoffrey.“ was all Usher said in response. For the cards below him had told him what had transpired. The Nine of swords, Six of wands, The magician and Death reversed, an unpleasant hand and one that spoke of terrible deceit and ego.

McCullum turned and left, gently taking Jonathan’s arm, leading him out of the crypt and making their way back to the docks In silence. As they entered McCullum’s home, Jonathan removed his coat and jacket and draped them onto the back of the chair, then leant back against the curtained window that looked down onto the warehouse floor. He cupped his hands over his mouth, closing his eyes and drawing in a deep breath as he dragged his hands over his beard and let them fall to his sides. The night had gone as he had feared. But he knew he’d done the right thing. It just didn’t feel good.

McCullum locked the door, then threw off his coat and began to remove his shirt, waistcoat and scarf, as they stank of smoke. He walked over to stand right in front of Jonathan and reached his hand out to cup Jonathan’s chin gently, bringing his head close to the others.

“I know you must feel like shit Reid. I know ok. I once had to track down my own brother Ian after my da had turned him. My elder brother, who I’d looked up to all my life. I found him, or rather, he found me, many times and had given excuse after excuse that he wasn’t a monster. I let him go every time, until I came across him feeding on a boy, same age as me. He told me he did it so he wouldn’t feed on me. Like that was an excuse I could bare. I emptied my gun into him, but I couldn’t kill him. Couldn’t destroy the last bit of my family, even knowing what he’d done. It was Carl that struck the fatal blow for me. So I know Reid. What it feels like. “

McCullum looked at Jonathan slightly quivering lips and leant in to kiss them. He wanted to pull out the pain that was there, to take it into himself so he could bare it for the other man who had been through so much in such a short time. He undid Jonathan waistcoat, shirt and tie, pulling them slowly off his shoulders and rubbing his hand over the tight muscles in his sire’s neck. Jonathan began to relax into the kiss and the gentle effect McCullum’s massage had on his body. McCullum broke the kiss and walked to his bed, climbing onto it. Leaning back against the mound of pillows, he beckoned Jonathan over, who slowly walked over and nestled against him, burying his head into McCullum’s neck.

“Drink Johnny, mo shíorghrá, take my strength.“

Jonathan nuzzled McCullum’s skin, inhaling in his scent of gunpowder, musk and blood. His fangs dropped down and he gently bit into McCullum’s neck, so cleanly that McCullum barely noticed at first before he felt Jonathan latch tightly on and suck, his right hand pressing firmly onto McCullum’s stomach as his left rested over the back of the pillows. McCullum gripped Jonathan’s head with his right hand, feeling his body react to his sire feeding off him. His left travelled down his torso and he could feel his erection under his trousers. He began to rub his hand over it, moaning softly.

Jonathan drank, letting the euphoric feeling of McCullum’s blood wash over him, helping him forget the pain of what he had had to do that night. His hand clasped over McCullum’s bare chest, the need for connection, the need to touch, great. He felt McCullum’s breath start to hitch and the slight sound of a moan escape his throat. He lifted his mouth away to look at his progeny and caught the most beautiful sight he’d seen in a while.

McCullum’s eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open, fangs bared as he moved his hand over his clothed erection. Jonathan leant down and pressed his mouth to the others, who welcomed the embrace and the taste of his own blood, his hand leaving his administrations and gripping Jonathan’s back. He pushed Jonathan back down onto the bed and deepened the kiss, tangling his tongue with the others, feeling the man’s soft beard brush against his stubbled skin. Jonathan’s hands roved down McCullum’s back, feeling the skin prickle as his fingers ghosted over it until they reached the belted trousers around McCullum’s waist.

  
McCullum reached between and undid his belt with one hand but couldn’t manage the buttons of his fly. He broke the kiss and leant back to undo them whilst Jonathan removed his own lower garments. Soon they were both bare and McCullum rested on one elbow over Jonathan, slowly admiring the other with his eyes, devouring the sight before him. His raven haired sire, his lover, lain prone against the bed, his knees bent, with one of his hands over his head. Hooded eyes, their pupils blown to black, looking back at him with such passion and love. He reached over the bed and took the bottle of oil he left there and tipped some into his hand, which he then began to run down Jonathan’s stomach, lower and lower until he reached his lover’s groin. He slid his hand over the inside of Jonathan’s thigh, teasingly close to the other’s erect cock, which twitched in disappointment. McCullum slyly grinned and brought his hand back up to tip some more oil into it before bringing it down and this time slightly stroke the other’s erection, slowly rolling his thumb over the sensitive tip, before drawing his hand down and under to massage the balls and then further down to circle Jonathan’s taint with his fingers.

Jonathan pushed back his head into the pillows, the slightest touch McCullum was giving him was exquisite torture. He began to lift his hand but it was gripped by McCullum’s and pushed back down above his head.  
McCullum swirled his fingers around Jonathan asshole, slowly pushing one, then two digits in and scissoring them, feeling the muscle’s relax. He withdrew and gripped Jonathan’s thigh, then leant over and took one of his sire’s nipples in his mouth and sucked them, biting slightly to draw a little blood, which he lapped at. Jonathan gasped, the pain giving way to delightful pleasure. His skin was on fire, every nerve on edge at where would be touched next.

McCullum moved down the bed slightly and positioned himself between Jonathan’s thighs, before grabbing them and lifting them up to rest over his shoulders. He leant down and kissed the other before positioning himself with his oiled hand at Jonathan’s entrance and slowly pushing in. Jonathan reached forward to grip McCullum by the waist as his lover began to thrust into him, his face inches away from the others, their breaths coming in short puffs.

“…… a chroi…..go deona ndeor….” panted McCullum, his voice barely a whisper.

Jonathan couldn’t understand what McCullum was saying but could feel that it meant a great deal to him, staring into Jonathan’s eyes as if waiting for an answer. Jonathan gripped McCullum’s head with his hand and pulled it down to kiss fervently, hoping this would answer him. McCullum moaned into the kiss and thrust faster. Jonathan could feel his orgasm begin to build as his cock slid between their stomachs. He began to pant and broke the kiss, his brow furrowing as he lost himself to the movement of their bodies. McCullum shifted slightly as his own orgasm threatened to push him over, his thrusts becoming deeper and that was enough for Jonathan, his orgasm ripping through his body, his blood tinged fluid spurting across his stomach. McCullum eyes never left Jonathan’s face, seeing his lover come undone under him was exquisite and his own orgasm exploded within him, his pounding becoming more erratic as he came inside Jonathan. His movements slowed as he rode the wave of his orgasm until he withdrew and rested his forehead against Jonathans, whose panting became slower as his heart and body calmed. Jonathan looked into those bright blue pools of McCullum’s eyes and smiled, his mind calm and at peace once more.

  
“My Hunter, you always catch me, when I want to run and hide from the world, pulling me back. I love you Geoffrey.”

  
McCullum, grinned lopsidedly and reached over and dragged his fingers through Jonathan’s tousled hair.

  
“I know...You can never run from me Johnny. Not now I have you.” He whispered as he leant in and kissed Jonathan again, pulling the man into a tight embrace. The sun was breaking over the horizon but neither cared for they had no worry of time , lost to each other’s touch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Irish Gaelic - Mo shíorghrá - means my eternal love . A chroi, go deona ndeor - my heart, forever.  
I feel Geoffrey only uses his native tongue when he feels fully safe in someone's presence. Knowing what shit went down between England and Ireland. For a Dubliner to be in England, he'd be accustomed to being on guard. 
> 
> i used to read Tarot myself a while back and although some I remember, a lot is rusty, so if anyone notices the wrong card used let me know. I know 'Death' doesn't actually mean death, but when accompanied by the other cards, certainly is not a good card to have, especially reversed. Also i know Talltree doesn't read tarot, he reads normal playing cards. But Tarot has more obvious visual queues so went with that instead.


	10. Unwanted attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte makes enemies with the Ascalon club, but she is no damsel in distress and Geoffrey becomes tired of lying to his old friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, had so many other things to deal with in real life.

* * *

Soon after McCullum had departed, Charlotte had left too, eager to put in more practice and just explore the world with new eyes. Leaving, she had narrowly missed a Priwen patrol in the park outside the house, catching sight of the blonde haired woman who McCullum said now led them. A woman almost as tall as Jonathan with piercing grey green eyes. Charlotte had managed to shadow-step onto a ledge to avoid being seen and knelt to watch them pass by, waiting an age it seemed for the patrol to finally move on and leave before she could come down. As she did so she grabbed a passing rat and bit into it, to knock the edge of the craving she felt. Jonathan had said they were a useful if distasteful way to supplement the diet and she agreed. The blood was hot and welcoming, but the taste was bland and the little amount did nothing to energise her. It was enough for now though until she could find a better source.

She made her way onto the parade and leant against the closed door of a nearby shop, stopping to light a cigarette. As she inhaled the smoke, she felt the nicotine mix with the blood in her system and give her the hit she knew. But it was different now. She didn’t feel the need to finish it or start another as she would have as a mortal. Perhaps her desire for blood had taken over any mortal addiction. Smoking though allowed her to blend in with the small night crowd as it was the fashionable thing to do, she could watch and observe and not be bothered.  
She nodded to a fellow suffragette who was out tonight campaigning, standing in the same spot she had once done. Charlotte had told The British Women’s Social and Political Union about a death in the family and that she had needed time to grieve and organise the family affairs. That her family business she’d taken over would mean she’d only be able to attend in the evenings, but she would help where she could. She hadn’t decided how she’d help, but they didn’t need to know details.

Charlotte watched with curiosity and slight concern as a well dressed man came from the fancy building across the street and walked up to the suffragette, who became agitated almost immediately. Charlotte snuffed out the cigarette under her feet and briskly walked up to the two.

“Is there a problem sister?” She asked of the woman staring at the man, whose back was turned to Charlotte. He turned his head slowly towards the new voice and Charlotte immediately realised he was an ekon. He reacted as well and turned all focus to her.

“It’s alright, sister, **let me deal with him**.” Charlotte said, leaning to the side of the ekon, hoping her will carried well enough over to the woman. Luckily the other suffragette gathered her newspapers and nodded, walking away down the parade.

“You are new around here.” the ekon said with disdain, looking her up and down as if she was some prize mare at a fair.

“How unsurprising. I’ve stood at that exact same spot for the past couple of years doing exactly what that woman did and you never noticed me once as a mortal. Now you do.“ Charlotte bristled at the way he spoke to her. How damn typical.

“You know you can’t hunt here. This is Ascalon territory” the ekon stated, his frame becoming rigid as if to try and dominate over her. It riled Charlotte.

“Odd, Dr Reid never said this was territory he couldn’t hunt in.”

The ekon’s eyebrow raised at the mention of the doctor’s name, “Dr Jonathan Reid. How on earth do you know ….wait. Is he your sire?”

Charlotte knew immediately that she shouldn’t have mentioned his name, she had to think fast, misdirect this ekon from that line of questioning.

  
“I’m curious as to why I should tell you anything? Who are you anyway?” she said, hoping to deflect from his inquiry. The ekon slowly looked her up and down again between slitted eyes and simply walked away as if bored with the conversation. Good, Charlotte thought. She had hoped he was too up himself to bother arguing with her. As she calmed, she carried on with her plan to head to the sewer entrance in the crescent behind the fancy clubhouse to hunt, she was hungry and there was bound to be a skal or beast there.  
As she walked down the empty side street she noticed the smog was rolling in, it’s foggy curtain mixed with the light rainfall causing a haze over every street lamp and hiding much of the street ahead of her. It was kind of beautiful she thought to herself, as she walked briskly towards the gated tunnel entrance. She stopped momentarily to look at a newspaper cart that had that days old papers still in it, to see what was currently being talked about, as it was always good to know current events. But before she could focus on the headline about who had bought the Dawson mansion, a sack cloth was thrown over her head and she was knocked out cold.

\------------------------------

Jonathan woke suddenly from his slumber, the feeling of shock washing over him. He sat up briskly, looking around the room for a potential threat but there was nothing to be seen or felt. McCullum awoke groggily next to him and raised his head toward Jonathan.

“Nightmare? Not had one of those since my turning.”

“No Geoffrey. I woke in a panic, but it wasn’t mine. It felt distant and yet at same time within my own mind. I think something may have happened to Charlotte. It was her reaction I think I felt.”

Jonathan rushed out of the bed, grabbing his clothes and dressing. McCullum jumped out of bed and dressed as well before grabbing his gear.

“Any idea where, when, by whom?” McCullum said, his shaky voice betraying his worry as he handed Jonathan his weapons.

“No I’ve no idea Geoffrey. That’s what worries me. I felt a sudden but short feeling of shock and then nothing. I feel nothing at all. We have to check where she might be. The mansion, her flat. Maybe ask around if anyone has seen her!”

“We’ll find her Jonathan, O.K. We’ll find her,” McCullum said as he held Jonathan arms gently.

The two ekon rushed to the Ashbury mansion, but it was empty, same with her flat near by. No sign of any struggle, but no evidence of where she might be either. Jonathan stood outside the entrance, rubbing his hands over his face, trying to think where she could have gone to as McCullum nudged him in the side.

“Priwen over there Reid, Kat’s with them. Let me have a little chat. You head over to the parade and ask around.“

He shadow stepped away and then began to casually walk over to the group. “Hey Lads, long time no see. Good hunting tonight?”

Kat looked him over and smiled, he still could look just as he did before his turning, it would be unnerving if it wasn’t such a good thing for him in this moment.

“Geoffrey! We’re good. Been quiet tonight, just one lone sewer beast under the bridge near Whitechapel. Been evading us for a week but we finally got the bugger.”

The two other Guard smiled warmly at McCullum and patted him on the shoulder, trying to show him how much they missed him being around. They were some of the oldest members of the organisation, battle hardened and just this side of tired.

McCullum smiled back and nodded, part of him hoped they’d seen Charlotte and part hoped she still evaded their patrols.

“I wanted to ask you. Have you come across a young female leech? Pretty lass for one, dark skin, golden eyes? Heard of any being taken down or spotted?”

The last words said were a little shaky and he hoped he hadn’t betrayed his emotion to them. Kat and the other guards looked at each other and shook their heads. They’d been the only patrol in this area and not seen any female ekon at all. McCullum breathed a sigh of relief. That was something at least. Kat glanced at McCullum, knowing something else was behind this interaction but said nothing of it, knowing he would share with her the truth of it soon enough.

McCullum nodded again to the men, he wished he could stay and talk more, memories of his time leading them flooding back. The camaraderie, the feeling of belonging to something bigger. But he knew he couldn’t. Kat smiled knowingly at him and he left, heading toward where Jonathan had gone. As he turned the corner, he saw Jonathan talking to Calhoun who stood outside his shop. He could tell Jonathan was worried, his hands were balled into tight fists, though his face had the mask of calmness over it. He watched as Jonathan thanked Calhoun and jogged over to him.

“I’ve just been told Charlotte was here earlier. She’d spoken to a Suffragette who’d been verbally accosted by a man who came from that building.” Jonathan pointed towards the Ascalon club “Charlotte spoke to the man then left. Last Calhoun saw was her leaving down the side street there alone.”

They both turned to look at the clubhouse just as Jonathan stumbled back, the barrage of cold rage suddenly hitting his mind.

\----------------------------

Charlotte woke from her stupor, her head feeling groggy and tender. She tried to raise her hand to her head but found she couldn’t. She looked down to find herself bound to a chair, her arms behind the back of it, tied together. As she looked around she noticed she was in a cellar of some kind, barrels were stacked against a wall on one side and a desk was pushed against another that had her sword neatly laid on top. At the far end was a staircase that led up. She also then realised she wasn’t alone. A well dressed mature ekon walked forward and looked down at her.

“Ah I see the young lady is awake. Good. Now my dear, you will answer my questions and this will go very smoothly. Do you understand?”

Charlotte looked past the older ekon to see the same younger ekon she’d met earlier, now standing at the foot of the stairs, his arms crossed, sword hanging at his waist, but his guard very much down as if she posed no real threat. She’d been in similar situations before as a mortal. Arrested a couple of times for her protests and left to stew in filthy jail cells. This was nothing new. Men who thought they had power over her because of some self proclaimed authority. She’d play their game for now though she worried at the fact her blood reserves were quite low, the rat the only thing she’d fed on to top up her low stores.

“What’s going on? Where am I? what do you want? Please don’t hurt me!” she said in her best sweet feminine voice.

“We don’t plan to hurt you” The older ekon said softly as he knelt in front of her “We just want to know more about you. Like who your sire is? You hadn’t told the esteemed gentlemen behind me when he asked before.”

“Oh I hope I haven’t done anything wrong sir, I’m not sure who made me what I am. I woke like this a while back. Been getting used to it and some others like us have helped. Like the good Doctor Reid I met one night. He’s helped me so much.”

Charlotte hoped this lie would trick them. She’d said his name before to that ekon so couldn’t deny knowing him but hopefully this ruse would work. The older ekon stood back up and looked at the younger one who bowed in deference .

“The way she said that name before Lord Redgrave, it sounded different. Like she could be one of his.”

The older ekon, Lord Redgrave, glanced back before leaning in to the other ekon and whispering, “I know what Reid’s blood tastes like Lord Hutchinson. If she is his progeny, then her blood will taste similar. Go stand next to her. Gag her if you must but I will be sure.”

Charlotte watched as the young ekon, Lord Hutchinson walked towards her, standing to the side whilst the older, this Lord Redgrave stood in front of her. She recognised his name, from her mother’s accounts. So she was in the Ascalon club somewhere and this was their leader. A man who thought little of women, especially female ekon.

“I’m afraid my dear I don’t believe you. But I know a way to find the truth. If you struggle it will only hurt more. I don’t want this to be unpleasant.“

She felt Hutchinson grab her shoulders to hold her down as Redgrave leant in to bite her neck. She grimaced as he sunk his fangs in and tasted her blood. As he straightened back up Charlotte looked up at him and the smile on his face was quite disturbing. He had luckily not drunk too much as she felt she still had enough to do something. He leaned down and spoke into her ear, his eyes glinting with malice.

“Oh my dear, you’ve been holding out on us. Jonathan Reid is your sire, I can taste him on your blood. How very fortunate for us, we have found you. You see the Doctor refused to use his given gift to help this institution become stronger. He may have saved this city but his traitorous actions mean he will never serve us again. Perhaps you will in some manner of fashion.”

Charlotte swallowed hard, she could only imagine what he meant and knew she had to get out of there fast. She called on everything she had left and pulled a shadow mist down over where she sat. She knew it would hurt, but also hopefully free her from the bonds and her captors. The shadows formed into a swirling vortex and exploded sending her back and breaking the chair, whilst flinging the two ekons to the walls. She shook her hands and body loose of the ropes and picked herself up off the floor, grabbing her sword off the table. Then staggered to a dazed Redgrave who hissed at her, swiping his claws. She swung the sword severing one of his hands, then dodged to the side as Hutchinson ran up behind her, his attack hitting Redgrave instead who yelled in pain as the bloodspear shot through him. Hutchinson didn’t have time to react before Charlotte elbowed him hard in the back then kicked him in the back of the knees, sending him crashing to the floor. The surprise in his face at a woman attacking in such a manner did not last before she swung her sword and stabbed it down into his shoulder piercing his heart. She grabbed the ekon and sunk her fangs in to get some much needed blood back into her system. He pushed her back after a moment and tried to slash at her with his sword but she was now too fast, dashing out of his way and using her somewhat replenished blood to overwhelm him, a combination of coagulation and shadow mist sent him crumbling to the ground.  
Redgrave , hunched up against the wall, started screaming for help and Charlotte knew it wouldn’t be long before more ekons came running down the stairs, so she grabbed his severed hand and pointed the sword at his throat snarling,

“I may be an just a female ekon, but I’m a suffragette too, and we are trained to fight off men who think little of us. You are no different. Now I’m leaving and you are not going to stop me! In fact you are never going to lay another finger on me ever. Yes, I AM Jonathan Reid’s progeny and share his blood. So be warned I share his power too. My mother told me all about you Lord Redgrave. Do you want me to tell everyone what I know about your lineage?”

Redgrave tilted his head back to avoid the point of the sword touching his throat. He sneered at the woman above him, whilst gripping his bleeding stump.

“How dare you woman! You will never make it out of here!“ As he spoke two more formally dressed ekon came charging down the narrow staircase but stopped dead when they saw the blade against their leaders throat.

“Oh but I will or you die right here. Do you really wish to die to a woman? How many of your members do you wish to lose that way? Now stand slowly and walk.“ Charlotte replied as she pushed the blade up to touch Redgrave’s chin. He slowly raised himself as the blade followed him up and then Charlotte moved forward, putting the sword across his throat as she stood behind him.  
  
“Don’t make me ask twice, the second time wont be said so nicely. Your men can move ahead of you and maybe I’ll give you back your hand.” she nodded as she forced Redgrave to move forwards. They walked out into the atrium just as Jonathan and McCullum burst through the back door, weapons in hand ready to fight their way to her rescue. She grinned at them both, as they took in the spectacle before them, then pushed Redgrave forward and threw his hand into the office behind her. The two lords rushed to assist him as he fell forward onto the freshly cleaned floor, his blood seeping into the expensive rugs.

“Get this harpy out of my sight!! “ He hissed at the intruding ekon as the other lords fussed over him.

“First I want a promise Lord Redgrave.” Charlotte said as she pointed the sword towards him, “You will NEVER come for me ever again. If you do, my companions and I will destroy you and this club. You will all burn. Men like you are what is holding this country back and I will not stand for it. Now promise me or I shall be forced to explain your little secret to everyone gathered here. ”

“Best listen to her Lord Redgrave. I’m learning very fast that she is not to be trifled with.“ Jonathan grinned as he came to stand by Charlotte’s side. He enjoyed seeing Redgrave injured, he’d wished he’d had the opportunity himself, but this was good enough, he’d have to let Old Bridget know what happened here too. McCullum stood with his back to them both in case some idiot tried anything. Some of the lords on the landing above were whispering behind their hands, obviously talking about the fact the former Priwen leader was now a vampire. Well fuck em, McCullum thought, let them gossip like wittering village spinsters and let them worry a little about what he was now capable of.

Lord Redgrave staggered upright and stood to his fullest height he could manage, then curtly nodded.

“So be it. You shall not be touched, you and your traitorous sire are more trouble then you are worth. Now get out before I change my mind.”

The lord holding him looked at him in confusion before Redgrave shook the man off and walked into his office, grabbing his hand off the floor and pushing it onto his wrist to rejoin before slamming the door shut. Charlotte grinned and walked towards the open back door, Jonathan and McCullum behind her as escort. McCullum couldn’t help but have the biggest grin on his face at what she had done.

As they left the club, Charlotte began to laugh uncontrollably before falling back against the wall, all the adrenaline leaving her to the shock of her abduction and escape. Jonathan rushed to her side, McCullum joining and they both helped her to stand.

“Are you alright Charlotte? What on earth happened?” Jonathan asked as he looked her over for damage before offering her his wrist to drink from, knowing the shakiness was in due part to lack of blood. Charlotte smiled thankfully before taking his wrist and gently biting down, feeling her sire’s blood invigorate her body once more. She let go and wiped gently at her mouth before composing herself and told them how she had been kidnapped and awoke in the clubs cellar. How Redgrave had tasted her blood to find out if Jonathan was her sire and that she was able to surprise them and take the advantage. She’d been glad they’d turned up as she wasn’t sure she’d have gotten out on her own, but she would have taken out Lord Redgrave before they took her down.

“He are still obsessed with my blood!” Jonathan snarled under his breath as he cleaned his wrist with a handkerchief. How dare they abduct Charlotte. How dare they think they had the right to. They’d been quiet since the disaster had been averted and epidemic ended. But it seems they couldn’t leave well enough alone. “I will have to have a little word with Lord Redgrave and his minions soon, this cannot stand. Dear Charlotte, not many could have stood alone and taken the upper hand. I knew when I first saw you train with Geoffrey, you had a skill I’d never seen before, a gracefulness of a dancer and confidence I’d only seen in trained soldiers.”

Charlotte smiled, if he’d felt how hard her heart was beating at the time, he would not have called it confidence.  
  
”The organisation I was, am part of, offers women like myself the chance to learn martial arts of self defence in case we are accosted by men who aggressively do not agree with our cause. I’ve had on occasion used such skills and even with what I can do now, I suspect the fact I was a woman, meant they thought I’d be easy to over power. That was how I was able to get the upper hand, by fighting dirty. If I were a man they would not have been so surprised.”

Jonathan looked at McCullum who began to almost choke, he was laughing so hard. He threaded his arm through hers and began to walk, leading them away from the Ascalon club.

”Oh Kat would love you Charlotte! I am going to have to introduce you to her. Let her know not to harm, or attempt to harm you, that you’re with me and Reid. She’s the only one in the Priwen who knows about me and she’s as much a hellion as you are!“

“Is that the tall blonde woman? I think I saw her leave the theatre with a patrol earlier tonight.” Charlotte said as they nearly reached her home.

“That’s her!” beamed McCullum “Listen, I do think it wise to introduce you to her, so she knows about you. She’s had good influence over the guard in the past few weeks, I’m hoping one day I wont have to hide what I am from them. But for now if she knows your with us, she can direct them away from you. Long as you don’t go all leechy like“ he winked at her and she just shook her head and laughed.

Jonathan slowed and looked towards McCullum “I hope they don’t find out the wrong way about you Geoffrey. Hiding the truth from them and the fact Kat as leader does know, might put her at risk of losing integrity with her men if they then found out.” He quietly said as he brought them both to a halt just inside the shadowy entrance gates of her house. “They have accepted myself as a non target and they don’t really know me. They do know you though, known you for a long time. Perhaps they would surprise you.”

McCullum stared at the ground for a moment before looking at Jonathan and nodding slowly.  
“The thought had crossed my mind Reid. I’m getting tired of lying to people who’ve trusted me and I’ve put Kat in a tight spot. If we go there, all three of us and things go south, we get the hell out of there and leave, leave this city, leave the country if need be. I don’t want to lose either of you, but I’m tired of hiding.”

“Perhaps tomorrow gentlemen, I’ve just survived one fight, I don’t think I can face another without rest.” Interrupted Charlotte as she took both their arms. “This isn’t something to just run and do. We need to prepare mentally and physically. Perhaps ask Kat first if she thinks it’s a good idea, yes?”

McCullum and Jonathan looked down at Charlotte, realising their rashness often got them into danger. McCullum gently clasped her shoulder, bringing his forehead down to hers.  
“What would we do without you. I’m like a bull in a china shop, too often to rush into things without fully thinking. Made me what I am now in fact!” grinning as he glanced at Jonathan “Though that hasn’t turned out all bad.”

Jonathan smiled at McCullum, he would never get bored of that man’s smile directed at him, before nodding his head to Charlotte.

“You are of course right Charlotte. Geoffrey, can you send message to Kat to find out if what we plan would be the right thing to do? You once said the theatre was a base for them still, perhaps if she agrees, meeting there would be the best option. I know it well and we can retreat here or my family home if things went south and plan our next move.”

“The theatre is their headquarters yeah. They’ve been fixing it up as a way to stay there. Quite a good ruse in fact. I’ll keep up my own ruse for the time being, get an idea of how they are and speak to Kat alone. Remember I have a good nose for machinations. You two go on home, I’ll speak to you soon.”

Jonathan reached over to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. “Be careful, Your nose got you into trouble before.” before kissing him there, then softly on the lips “For me.”

McCullum smiled into the kiss and smoothed his hand over Jonathan’s back. ”I’ll be fine. Don’t you worry,” before leaving the two and walking into the fog towards the theatre.

Jonathan and Charlotte made their way into the house, Charlotte excusing herself to go and rest whilst Jonathan sat quietly in the lounge, no intent to sleep until he had seen McCullum again.

McCullum strode up the front entrance to the theatre, the doors covered with posters saying ‘closed for repair’. Taking in a deep breath he walked in. The foyer was in a far better state than when he last saw it, although there were no carpets or drapes, the floors were swept and the large billboard poster cases cleaned and polished. Two older men he’d briefly seen before, sat in chairs to the side and one winked as he waved.

“Hey McCullum! Long time no see!” McCullum laughed as he waved back, pausing for a moment as he slipped into his focused vision and looked around. So many heartbeats above and below him, it seemed the theatre was quite full.

“Aye, couldn’t keep away it seemed. Wanted to check in, see how everyone was doing. Is the boss in?”

The two men grinned and pointed towards up the stairs.

“Yeah she’s on the first floor, last door to the left. That’s her office now. You should have a look round see what we done with the place. Got the council thinking we are renovating this place whilst we ugh, look for new headquarters. All we’re doing is keeping it clean really, but they seem to be buying it for now.”

McCullum shook their hands and left, making his way towards the room they mentioned. As he crested the stairs he focused again and sure enough, a single heartbeat stood out in the room ahead. His vision clearing, he gently knocked at the door and waited. The door slowly opened and Kat grinned wide as she realised who it was.

“Hoping I’d catch you, metaphorically speaking. Come in and lock the door behind you.”

She beckoned him in and he did as she asked before sitting down on one of the sofas that sat between a low long coffee table. He rubbed his hand over his chin, trying to figure out how to best ask what he was just a moment ago so sure about. Kat sat on the sofa across from him, tilting her head to the side as she noticed his unease. He lifted his head up to the ceiling, taking in a deep breathe then looked directly at her, his glamour dropping.

“Kat, I wanted to ask you something. What you see here, do you think it could ever be accepted by everyone downstairs?”

“What brought this on Geoffrey? Has anyone suspected?” She reached across and took his hand which he willingly accepted, squeezing gently before releasing.

“I’m tired of hiding from the lads. I never lied to them once when I led them and now I feel like I’m betraying them and you by hiding what I’ve become. I’ve put you in an awkward place too, lying for me. What if they found out. Would they still respect you?”

Kat nodded her head, a sad smile playing on her lips. She sighed and leaned back.

“I’d like to think it would be okay. I’ve been slowly weeding out any of them who were like Barker or Evans. But thank god there’s not been that many of them to tell the truth. The shadier lot have long since gone of their own accord. A few of the chaplains have questioned me about the direction the Priwen is heading in and I told them straight. The organisation has to change with the times and new knowledge. We now know that vampires are not all monsters. Most are of course but the few who’ve shown us they can be different, we let live and just watch. We’ve not had reason to mistrust your doc for example. Often crews have come back after watching him at the hospital and been amazed at what he’s been doing there. One came blabbering that he’d watched him leave surgery, covered in blood over his apron, but that he’d been calm as anything, saving the man whose blood covered him. We know he’s taken human life, you too, but when we investigate the deaths, realised they weren’t much loss. I mean the Priwen have done some shitty stuff ourselves right? We’re not saints here. Anyway, had a couple of the chaplains leave, but most agreed to stay.”  
She moved over to sit beside him then, taking his hand again. “I can’t guarantee it would be peachy, but maybe it’s worth a shot if it means that much to you. Don’t you worry about me though. When I agreed to keep your secret I meant it, what ever the consequences.”

McCullum let out a big sigh and slumped down into the sofa. “Shit, this could be really happening then. Reid and I discussed this and we’ve said if the worst happened we’d leave to not put ourselves and you at risk. All three of us.”

Kat looked puzzled “Three of you? You wouldn’t be by any chance referring to a golden eyes female ekon now would you?”

McCullum gave a lop sided smile, “Ah Kat, this is why I picked you as leader! I’ve been meaning to say, there is another I think you should meet. Another of Reid’s progenies. I think you’ll like her. Names Charlotte and she’s a lot like you in fact.”

Kat grinned at the thought of meeting an ekon that seemed to have the same effect on McCullum as the doctor did when he mentioned their name. “Then yeah this is happening if you want it to. How do you want to do this? Could come here or maybe meet somewhere with a few men.”

McCullum sat up then and brushed his hand over his face, “Well when I first thought to rush into this, I thought the foyer would be best place, perhaps with the veteran section leaders and you, ones who’ve known me longest and gotten used to seeing Reid running around and we go from there. I bring him and Charlotte with me as no point just me if things went south, I’d want them with me in case.”

Kat nodded, that sounded like it could work. She often gathered the captains of each group together to meet. They were planning to move to another headquarters soon as they knew they couldn’t stay in the theatre much longer without arousing suspicion. So sending the rest of the crew there wouldn’t be too hard.

“Alright, that could work. We’ve got about 15 vets left, who all know you from, before. Maybe 20 others who know you well enough and could meet you after. I could get them gathered here tomorrow night. The rest of the crew can be at the new place we just acquired under the orders of setting it up. Nice couple of warehouses in Whitechapel that we got as part of the Dawson property auction.”

McCullum smirked at the irony, Dawson probably turning in his grave at knowing vampire hunters now owned part of what belonged to him. So it seemed this was going to happen after all. He stood up and as he turned to leave, Kat grabbed his arm and held it. He looked into her eyes and nodded, knowing the next time they met she would be the Priwen leader to him. He brought up his glamour again and left the room, walking briskly back through the corridors until he reached the foyer. The two old guard had left and he took a moment to look around. Once he had the layout memorised he left the theatre and headed back to the Ashbury mansion.

Walking through the front door, he suddenly felt a rush of air as Jonathan shadow stepped up to him, clasping him by the shoulders pulling him into a tight embrace. He sighed and relaxed into the hug as he felt Jonathan stop shaking, noticing that he was in just his waistcoat and shirt, having removed his jacket and coat as had become the custom staying here.

“Getting worried were you?” he teased as he breathed into Jonathan shoulder.

“Something like that.” Jonathan replied as he slowly let go and looked at McCullum. “What did Katherine say? Does she think it a good idea?”

“Well, she’s arranging a meeting of sorts, understands why I need to do it. It’ll take place in the foyer of the theatre first then if that goes well, we’ll meet the rest in the stage area. If it goes south I’ll make sure the main doors are all open for us to make a run for it.” McCullum began removing his coat and weapons as he spoke, storing them away in the hallway cupboard, then began to make his way to the lounge. Jonathan watched his every move as if memorising the moment, before rushing to his back and clasping his arms around McCullum’s waist. He started to bring his hands up, feeling the taught muscles under the vest and shirt McCullum wore as he breathed in the familiar scent of gunpowder and leather.

McCullum smiled, knowing Jonathan was trying to remember every detail he could, his mind most likely having travelled to the worst case scenarios as so often had happened before. He took Jonathan’s hands in his own and brought one up, kissing it before turning to face his sire, expecting his face to be sad and melancholic. But instead Jonathan’s face was predatory. His body immediately reacted, his crotch becoming tight in his trousers, his heart pounding in his chest, the warm bloom in his belly moving lower.

Jonathan lifted his hands to McCullum’s face and pulled him in to kiss reverently on the mouth, growling as it opened to allow his tongue in. His fangs nicked McCullum’s tongue and the blood swirled within, making Jonathan growl so low, he vibrated. McCullum shuddered at the feral nature Jonathan was displaying and kissed back harder, running his hands through Jonathan’s hair and down his back, pulling him tighter into his body, feeling Jonathan as eager as he was.

Jonathan moved his hands down McCullum’s arms and brought them up over his progeny’s head, holding them with one hand against the wall,whilst his other moved down McCullum’s chest, opening each button in turn till he was bare chested. Grinning wolfishly he leant down and took a nipple in his mouth, teasingly sucking on it before nicking it with a fang, allowing more blood to enter his mouth.

McCullum hissed at the momentary pain before letting his head fall back.  
“Leech, do you plan to bite me everywhere then?”

Jonathan raised his dilated eyes to McCullum and grinned, a little blood trickling down from the corner of his lips. He leant in and whispered an inch away from McCullum’s lips “I hadn’t, but now I think I might.” His head moving back down to the chest before kissing his way up to McCullum’s neck, nuzzling in the space between clavicle and throat before biting down.

McCullum gasped, a electric jolt shot down from his neck to his crotch and his cock twitched in response. He wanted to run his hands over Jonathan’s back, but his wrists were still tightly clasped above his head and he rumbled his displeasure which just made Jonathan hold them tighter as he licked the bite and lifted his head to kiss McCullum again, this time using his free hand to unbuckle his progeny's belted trousers, removing the belt, letting the trousers fall down and using it to tie McCullum’s hands together, looping the belt over the banister to hold him in place. Jonathan briefly looked at McCullum who nodded his approval and grinned. Jonathan licked his lips and slowly went down on his knees in front of him, releasing McCullum’s cock from his drawers and taking it into his mouth, slowly, agonisingly slowly down till his nose touched McCullum’s wiry hairs. His hands grabbed McCullum’s ass cheeks and ran his claws lightly over the skin, not enough to break the skin but enough to draw raised welts that made McCullum filthily curse. Then he began to move his head back, letting his fangs slide each side of the sensitive skin in his mouth. This made McCullum gasp at the feeling, the thought of them cutting him there gave him shivers but he trusted his lover and he looked down as Jonathan stared back up him and he began to move his head back and forth along the shaft, on every other upstroke running his tongue over the sensitive tip and sucking.

McCullum could feel his legs start to quiver and he locked them in place as he moved his hips with Jonathan every stroke of his mouth, his head lolling back as the fire grew in his belly. Jonathan could feel how close McCullum was getting and sped up his movements, tightening his mouth and pulling slightly. He dug his claws into McCullum’s ass knowing it would send his progeny over the edge, who grunted as his cum spilled down Jonathan’s throat.

Jonathan swallowed and shot back up, kissing McCullum’s gasping mouth before pulling away and offering him one of his bloody claws, which McCullum sucked greedily. He reached up and untied McCullum’s hands, allowing them to drape over his back as McCullum rested his head onto Jonathan’s shoulder to recover.

Jonathan wasn’t done yet though and lifted McCullum by his ass, carrying him up to their bedroom and placing him on the bed, front first. McCullum grinned and lifted himself up onto his knees, divesting himself properly of his clothes as he watched Jonathan quickly strip. Then Jonathan was at his back,the touch of his bare skin igniting the fire back in his belly, his cock stirring back to life.

Jonathan growled into his ear and gently pushed McCullum down, till he was on all fours, whilst lathering his own cock with the oil that was kept near. He stared for a moment at the beautiful sight before him, before lining himself up and pushing slowly into McCullum, leaning over his lover’s back to nip and kiss at his raised shoulder blades.

McCullum grunted as he felt himself stretch around his lover and let his head hang forward to concentrate on the feeling, panting at each slow and precise thrust that came from Jonathan, who was trying to mark as many points on his upper back with his fangs that he could reach with his mouth. The pain and pleasure were an aphrodisiac to him,, which Jonathan knew well, though he could not reach his favourite place and so he grabbed McCullum by the shoulders and pulled him up to kneel again, wrapping one hand around McCullum’s cock whilst his other was splayed across his chest, holding him flush to his back.  
Jonathan breathed into the untouched side of McCullum’s neck, as his nose rubbed along the clavicle, taking in the smell of sweat and blood combined with McCullum’s scent before he let his fangs sink into the tender skin there, gripping his progeny’s chest tightly as he felt the heat build low and his balls tighten.

McCullum moaned loudly at the bite and the nerve jolt it sent low, his cock spurting his seed across the sheets as he came violently, his hips shuddering as Jonathan pounded into him, his own orgasm flooding his senses as he drank of his progeny’s blood. Wrenching his fangs free, Jonathan hissed with pleasure as he let his progeny fall limp beneath him, utterly spent. He removed himself and fell to the side, his legs giving way to the relaxation that washed over them both.  
Gently trailing his hand over McCullum’s back, tracing an old scar that ran down his ribs, he pulled him into an embrace and held him there for a moment, his breath washing over McCullum’s shoulder as he gently kissed where ever he had bitten.

McCullum grinned and allowed himself to be held, whispering,“You, like this, I could get used to more often. Always knew you had a dark side Johnny. I like it.”

“I’m glad you approve,” Rumbled Jonathan into his progeny’s shoulder before leaning up on one elbow to look over at him. “I was getting so worked up the longer you were away, I couldn’t help myself.”

McCullum shifted to lie on his back and he lightly stroked Jonathan’s side. “Got you all worried did I? I told you I’d be fine. Now I know you and you’re thinking the worst will probably happen tomorrow. Let me tell you this. No matter what, we will be together. But put some faith in me. I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought it was suicide.”

“I know Geoffrey, but with what’s happened to me, I cant help but worry. It was my suggestion to do this and I worry I may have set in course another set of actions that will lead to heartbreak.”

  
Jonathan’s eyes began to well with tears at what he was saying and he leant down and kissed McCullum tenderly, before lying back down, draping an arm and leg arm over McCullum as his progeny pulled a blanket over them both.

McCullum grasped Jonathan’s hand and kissed it before placing it back against his chest.

“What ever happens tomorrow,we’ll be together mo chomh-anam.”

Sleepily, Jonathan smiled at the foreign words coming from McCullum’s mouth “One day Geoffrey, you are going to tell me what those words mean.”

McCullum grinned and closed his eyes “Aye one day.”


	11. Turning Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three ekon head to what could be a make or break meeting with the Guard of Priwen.

* * *

Charlotte woke as the sun set, her mind stirring as soon as the last rays dipped below the horizon. She had gone to sleep pretty much as soon as her head had hit the pillow, her body succumbing to the exhaustion of her previous fight or flight response. She opened her eyes and broadly grinned, still not fully comprehending her escape and then what had been suggested with the Priwen Guard. She hadn’t heard Geoffrey come back but could now sense his presence in the house, close to Jonathan and her grin became a warm smile. They really would do anything for each other and in turn for her. Both of them charging in to rescue her, not knowing what they would face. Plus The Ascalon club were now very much aware Geoffrey was a ekon and would probably try to use that against him.

  
She rose from bed, wrapping a dressing robe around her and made her way to their bedroom door, knocking softly on it.

“Jonathan, Geoffrey? Are you awake? May I enter?”

“Of course Charlotte, come on in” was Jonathan’s warm reply. As she walked in she noticed McCullum sitting at a small table oiling Dragonbane, his focus completely and utterly on the ancient blade. Jonathan beckoned her over to the couch, pointing back at McCullum.

“Don’t mind Geoffrey, he asked if he could see the sword and as soon as I gave it to him he’s been treating it like some ancient artefact. The sun could rise and I don’t think he’d notice.”

“Have you two not slept? I thought I’d woken first but here you are both dressed and ready to go it seems!” Charlotte couldn’t hide the mirth behind her voice.

“Oh we have slept, somewhat. Our minds are a little too focused on the night ahead I think to truly rest. But how are you? Recovered I hope from last night.” Jonathan smiled. When vampires do sleep it is sounder than the dead, but they are quick to wake and need little actual sleep to function. The sun merely setting a standard for when they should rest.

“Yes, I slept very well Jonathan thank you. But as soon as I woke I knew I had to come ask you both if tonight is actually going to happen.”  
  
”It is Charlotte” Came the soft rumble from McCullum, as he slid Dragonbane back into it’s scabbard. “Kat has agreed to a meeting at the theatre at midnight. I am going to go in first then I’ll open the door for you and Jonathan to come in behind me. I will speak to the few brought to the foyer and see how it goes from there. If good, we will be brought to some more in the auditorium, if bad then we leave through those doors as quick as possible and head back here or Jonathan’s home. I want you to pack a bag with what you think you might need to take with you if the worst happens. We've done the same. Jonathan still has his car and it’s fuelled at his house, should we need it. I’m hoping we don’t need any of it, but id rather we plan for all eventualities.”

McCullum stood then and walked over to Charlotte, softly taking her shoulders in his large hands.

“If you don’t want to come with us, we understand. We talked this through just before you came in and if you want nothing to do with this, it’s O.K. You have your own life to lead now. Kat can make sure none of the boys know about you.”

Charlotte closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them and looking into McCullum's bright blue orbs.

“Don’t you dare. We are a team. I couldn’t bare to lose either of you right now and after what you risked to save me last night, especially you Geoffrey, I know I want to stand by both your sides tonight.“

she leant up then and kissed McCullum softly on the cheek, then went over to Jonathan and did the same.

“Now I’d best go pack that bag and then find some nourishment somewhere. I think that would be wise for us all in case.“

As she left Jonathan looked over to McCullum who smiled and embraced him.

“It’s going to be O.K. Johnny, Come on, she’s right, we need to feed before we head there. We need to be at our best.”

After finding a nest of feral skals near an old death pit, the three of them headed back towards the theatre, silence falling between them as they drew near. The streets around the theatre were empty and eerily quiet, it seems the Priwen had cleared the entire area of any threats. No screams and wails anywhere to be heard.

Jonathan looked at his watch and nodded to McCullum that it was time. McCullum walked forward and opened one of the theatre doors and walked in, looking around to see Kat looking directly at him with the two old veterans from last night, Joe and Peter plus twelve other faces he knew well standing around her. He smiled as warmly as he could at them, noticing apart from Kat, they appeared confused and unsure of what was going on. He reached back and opened the door for Jonathan and Charlotte to walk in instantly sensing a tension rise in the foyer. Jonathan moved to stand in front of Charlotte, to make himself the focus of the men’s attention. They knew him, they didn’t know her.

Kat stood forward then and turned to face her crew.  
  
”Geoffrey wants to speak to us, as former leader of Priwen he deserves that honour and our respect. I asked him to meet us here as I told you. He has asked Dr Jonathan Reid and friend to join him. Geoffrey, I’m glad you are here and that the issue you brought to me, I hope can be settled here tonight.” she said as she faced the ekons once more.

McCullum noticed the men although nervous had not reached for any weapon they carried, this was a good sign and an indication of good training.  
  
"Thanks Kat. Guys, you’ve known me for well, near on a decade now, I’ve fought along side you, celebrated with you and supported you. I hope I led you well. Tonight I’m here in the hopes you will support me, or at least understand my choices. You remember the night of the Pembroke Hospital raid, where we took Dr Swansea for interrogation and I stayed behind to face Dr Reid alone. Mistakes were made that night, I thought I had all the answers to the skal plague and that Dr Reid was the cause.  
I was wrong. It was the opposite in fact. Dr Reid was trying to stop the plague. Which he did and why your job is getting easier by the day. But that night I thought I was in the right and no amount of words from Reid could change my mind. I tell you, he fought like the devil himself and defeated me. I was dying and I would have been a corpse for you to find that night, if he had not done what he did to allow me to stand here with you now.”

McCullum looked around the faces of the people in front of him, as some of them started to understand the insinuation. McCullum lowered his head, dropping his glamour and then raised his face to the crowd. He heard clicks of holsters being un-clipped, the slicing of steel as swords were gripped in their scabbards. Gasps of shock and one rather loud voice from Joe who stood next to Kat, who watched everyone very carefully.

“What the holy fuck! You’re a damn leech McCullum, How long?!” He said as he pointed his pistol towards his former leader.

McCullum sighed, raising his hands up and slowly walked forward, speaking directly to Joe even as all eyes were on him.  
  
"A month and four weeks. That’s how long I’ve been an leech, an ekon. I was an ekon for 2 weeks whilst still leader of the Priwen in fact. All that time I led you all as I always have. Now answer me Joe. Have I harmed anyone of you?”

Joe stared at McCullum, trying to think of everything that had happened in that time.

“Not that I know of...Hang on! You mean you were a leech when you helped at the medic station after that big skal fight. All that blood and you didn’t react. How did you manage that, you’re a leech! You had your bare hands wrapped around a bleeding arm, didn’t see any hint of what you are. I still didn’t until you just did what you just… did.”

Joe turned to his colleague Peter who had sat on his stool, drawing in deeply from his cigarette. He stood up off it and moved forward to get a better look at his old leader and friend.

“So Dr Reid there, made you this, did you have a choice, did he force this on you?”  
  
Jonathan was about to speak his usual apology when McCullum lifted his arm back to hush him.  
  
"I was dying Pete, I had goaded the man to defend himself and even with the ultra violet light and King Arthur’s blood I was no real match for him. I had taken his best friend, who he thought was probably already dead so he fought to win the fight and get away as fast as he could. Yes he turned me then and there to show me the truth of things but also to save me. We have been wrong about so many things lads. Dr Reid has proven not all leeches are cunning evil creatures to be destroyed. He’s saved many of your lives in fact. You know this city has become a lot safer with him around.”

Jonathan was trying to smile as warmly as he could, unsure whether to suddenly flee. Peter simply began to laugh as he realised why this Dr was suddenly off limits.  
  
"This is crazy. We had a vampire leading the Priwen for two weeks and none of us realised! No patrols lost to mysterious leech attack, in fact we noticed the gangs even begun to leave us alone. That was your doing wasn’t it.” he said as he stamped out the cigarette that had burnt down between his fingers.

“I cant believe I’m saying this but I think McCullum’s alright. I trust him. He had my back too many times to count and did even when he was leading us as a blood sucker. We’ve all seen Dr Reid defy everything we’ve been told about ekons.”

Peter looked back towards one of the other veterans,

“O’Neil, you remember coming back to us one night after watching Reid come out of surgery covered in blood after saving one of our rookie’s lives. You were telling anyone who would listen that if you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, you’d think it was a lie. But we’ve all heard and see things he’s done that show we need to rethink what we’ve been told all these years. ”

Peter moved over and reached out his hand to McCullum, who took it and clasped his other hand over it, shaking it. Joe soon followed patting McCullum’s shoulder and soon every veteran had walked up to him and shook his hand, though some bowed their heads, mourning the loss of their human former leader.  
  
Kat was the last to move to him and she hugged him warmly before moving back and grinning widely at the two men.

“Looks like it’s gone well so far, I had the feeling these guys would accept you. They all seen things that go against our groups tenets and I think seeing you and Dr Reid was the final push to accept that maybe we need to change with the times. Course some of the new members might need a little more persuading and that’s why I wanted the veterans on your side. If they’ve figured out I knew about you before, they don’t seem bothered by it. Now Dr Reid, are you going to introduce me to your companion?”

  
Charlotte had watched as it all happened, keeping as quiet as she could, she was the unknown in all this and after last night’s events wasn’t keen to fight her way out of another situation. She watched as the veterans slowly came to accept McCullum and lower their guard. Now their leader had all focus on her. Charlotte held her breath, those green grey eyes were truly piercing, as if she was looking straight through her.

“Ah may I introduce Lady Charlotte Ashbury. She is another progeny of mine. I would appreciate if she wasn’t harmed. She is dear to both Geoffrey and myself.”

Kat looked Charlotte up and down and grinned again. She was a stunning woman, a stunning ekon even. She’d keep a close eye on this one. 

“I think I’ve seen you before. Yeah outside the Ashbury Mansion, which makes sense with your name. Hmm. Seems that’s now three leeches off our lists, as long as you all behave. Right lads? The Reid family is off limits."

Family? Is this what we were? Jonathan thought to himself. Perhaps so, he would do anything for the other two and believed the same of them. He was their sire as well, he knew how strong a connection there was, but it was more than just blood. He looked to his side where McCullum stood as he felt the tension ease off his frame bit by bit.

“Shall we?” motioned Kat as she waved her arms towards the auditorium entrance “I’m sure the rest I’ve asked here are wondering what the hell if going on. Lads if you’d be so kind as to go on in and place yourselves around the rest, that might make our guests feel a little more secure.”

The three ekons followed Kat into the large auditorium area, which seemed to have been turned into a common room of some kind with chairs and tables set up with a make shift bar at one end. There were at least 20 Priwen inside not counting the veterans who added to the number. As the three walked in, all faces turned to them, many displaying utter shock at their former leader’s new appearance, for he not had not put back up his glamour.

The introduction went very similarly to earlier with McCullum proving he had been an ekon whilst leading them and no harm had come to them through him during that time. That he accepted what he was and learnt a lot of what they had been told about ekons was founded on half truths. When many of the members had nudged and whispered to their nearest commander, that veteran would offer his support to McCullum.

“I can’t believe we are just accepting this!” came a yell from a young gunner that stood just in front of McCullum “I thought we were in the business of wiping leeches off the face of the earth. I joined after one murdered my da, I’m not going to be pals with one now.” He spat on the floor in front of McCullum and raised his crossbow towards him. McCullum calmly walked towards him, his hands raised up as before and stood inches away from the crossbow pointed at his chest.

“I don’t know your name son, I must have left before you joined. Know that everyone who signed up for this life has probably lost a loved one to a leech. Myself included. But I also know most of you have lost loved ones or friends to mortal men too. The war has only just ended but I lost my uncle in the trenches. What we are, human, ekon, doesn’t define what we do. I’m not going to tell you you wont come across leeches who deserve your anger, frankly there are plenty I hate myself but then there are people i'm not too keen on either. I’m not saying we have to be friends, but I prefer it if you lowered that bow.”

The gunner stared at McCullum, he’d never been so close to an ekon who wasn’t attacking him and it unnerved him. McCullum didn’t look much different to normal other than his eyes were much bluer and his skin more translucent. Then there were of course the hint of fangs showing in his smile. But the raging monster he expected didn’t manifest. He began to lower his crossbow when shouts came from the front entrance which became louder and louder until two guards barrelled in carrying a third heavily wounded Chaplin, who they laid on one of the tables. Dr Reid immediately moved to offer assistance before he was stopped by swords pointed at him from the guards who had just come in.

“Please I can help this man” came Jonathan’s calm response.

The guards looked around the room and spotted McCullum and an unknown ekon standing with the ekon Dr. They were about to shout out about what was going on when the Chaplin moaned loudly as blood seeped from an bandaged wound on his chest.

“This man will die if his wounds are left untreated, please!” Came Jonathan’s louder voice as he tried to put a little will into his words hoping it would break through. Kat then shot forward, pulling Jonathan with her and put him in front of the wounded man.

  
"Put your god damned swords down! Dr Reid, do what you need to do. Peter, you’re our resident medic, go get your kit and help Dr Reid. Give them room people!”

  
Jonathan glimpsed as she grabbed the two newly entered guard and pulled them aside to let him room to work. He noticed how she spoke to them and could just make out the words ‘_watch and learn_.’  
  
He looked over to McCullum who still had his eyes trained on the young gunner who had now gone quite pale and was studying the scene before him. He’d obviously not seen Dr Reid work. Well he’d get his chance now as the Dr began to focus his mind on the patient below him. As he removed the makeshift bandages, the blood began to flow again from the open wound which was deep across the man’s ribs but it had not punctured any arteries, and no bones were broken, though one had been cut into with a claw.

Jonathan took a deep breath in through his mouth and focused his will into his work. Peter came running back in with a trolley filled with triage equipment and put it to the side of the Dr. Jonathan glanced briefly at Peter and nodded then asked him to open up the gauze and douse them in antiseptic solution before taking the items and packing them into the open wound to try and stem some initial bleeding.

“Do you have any blood supplies here, this man will need a transfusion, he’s lost too much blood.” Jonathan said, searched through the kit and finding clean rubber tubing and large enough lancet to do a direct transfusion, then scanned around the room, using his focused vision to pick out anyone with the same blood as the victim. His eyes fell on the young man in front of McCullum.

“Young man, you have the same blood as he does. Don't ask me how I know, i don't have time to explain. Are you willing to help save a life?”

The gunner eyes went wider still and his started shaking his head fervently,

“You’re not coming near me with that, pick someone else!”

“There is one other in this room with same blood as your colleague but they are not fit enough to help as you can, though I feel they would if they could. Do you want to see this man die? He will for sure without your blood.” Jonathan looked towards Peter who nodded and began to remove his coat and roll up his sleeve.

“Typical a leech would know what’s wrong with me when my own doctors don’t.” Peter snorted as he made his way forward “I’ll give what I can Dr Reid. Just I’d like to be around to see The Rev on his feet again” he motioned towards the prone Chaplin and grabbed a chair, sitting next to him.

“Wait” Came the quiet sound from the young gunner who had now put down his crossbow and was walking cautiously towards Dr Reid “What do I have to do?”

“Peter will give you his chair. You’ll have to remove your coat and roll up your sleeve so I can access a vein in your arm. This will hurt somewhat but I’ll try to make it as gentle as I can. Geoffrey, please I need your assistance. I’ll need to start cleaning the wound and preparing the area for stitching. Once I’ve started the feed line I need you to watch this young man carefully to make sure he is still within safe limits. Peter I may need your help too if it comes to it.”

Jonathan went fully into Dr mode and barked directions at McCullum to help close up the large wound, stitching quickly through torn muscle and skin, he wrapped the wound after final cleaning and then set about starting the transfusion. With no form of pump available Jonathan called on his blood control, directing the blood through the tubing from one body to move into the other.  
  
The guard watched mesmerised by this action, they had never seen it used to heal only kill. Kat stood protectively next to Charlotte, occasionally glancing towards her as the female ekon stood transfixed at what her sire was doing. Charlotte had never seen Jonathan work in this manner before and felt so proud to be witnessing it now.  
  
Soon both William; the gunner and Peter had given their blood to help the Chaplin and now it was in nature’s hands as to whether he would survive.  
  
”I’ve done all I can now but I’d like to monitor him for tonight. He can be moved somewhere quieter but I’d like to see him transferred to a hospital tomorrow. Thank you Geoffrey for your assistance and to you William and Peter. Both of you need to rest and drink some sugary tea if available, it will help you recover. Is there anywhere where I can clean myself up? As you can imagine this blood everywhere on me is rather… uncomfortable.”

Jonathan motioned around his upper body and hands which were covered in drying blood. Joe stood up and nodded to Kat then offered to take Jonathan to a small room to the side where there was wash basins and fresh water. Jonathan gladly smiled and with a glance to McCullum who smiled back, went to get cleaned up.

McCullum looked down at the Chaplin whose heart rate was weak but beating regularly as was his breathing and then sat down in the chair vacated by William, placing a hand on the Chaplin’s shoulder to let him know he wasn’t alone.

Kat went over to him and knelt in front of him, placing her hands on his knees.

“Well this wasn’t how I expected it to go,” she whispered “But that little display may have secured your safety. Everyone here just saw Dr Reid use his ekon abilities to save Rev here and all three of you not go crazy at the sight of all that blood. Was quite the sight to see.”

“Kat, it was a close one, that’s for sure. But the rest of the guard, I don’t plan to do something like for them all.” McCullum laughed as he patted her hands.  
  
”No but a thought crossed my mind. If Dr Reid would be willing to show our medics a few tricks, help out. Not all our lads can watch him work at the hospital but many can see him at our headquarters. If he was willing, one night a week could work to spread what we all just saw here tonight. You could come too, your assistance was invaluable and I've seen you in the field, you’d make a decent medic yourself!”

“Kat I ain't got the bedside manner, but I see what your sayin. I’ll ask him, when his mind is less focused on one thing.”

Jonathan, pushing a gurney that Joe had given him, came back into the crowded room that was full of murmuring noise as the guard present talked amongst themselves. Suddenly applause began to resound around the auditorium as one by one they all joined in clapping for the ekon Dr who had hopefully just saved one of their own. Jonathan blushed slightly and smiled, beckoning them to cease. He did what he had to do, no applause or thanking was necessary but he was grateful none the less. He walked over to McCullum who now stood and clasped Jonathan on the arm, squeezing slightly with affection. Charlotte joined them and then Jonathan went back to checking on his patient.

“I’ve brought the gurney to transfer the patient into a quieter room if there is one.“  
  
”One of the rooms to the side has a couple of beds in it, will that do?” Kat motioned towards the hallway.  
  
”Yes that’s perfect. Charlotte. If you don’t mind, could you help me a moment?” Charlotte moved over to Jonathan and together they gently lifted the patient onto the gurney and wheeled him into the side room, then lifted him onto the bed.

“I forget your kind’s strength sometimes” Kat said with a grin, as she watched Charlotte lift the large man with ease. “it’s kinda scary and attractive at the same time.”

“Don't go getting any ideas Kat, unless you want to end up like me.” McCullum winked as he nudged Kat in the side with his elbow. “I’m going to make my way around the guys here, answer any questions they may still want to ask then I’m going to get Charlotte home and then be back here to stay with Jonathan. If that’s O.K?”

“Yeah that's fine Geoffrey. Is Charlotte O.K? She’s been very quiet” Kat motioned towards the door as Charlotte stood leaning against it, her eyes closed.

McCullum sighed, Charlotte was hiding her fatigue well but it was starting to show. “Aye, she had a run in with the Ascalon club last night. Me and Johnny had rushed into save her and found she’d taken care of her own rescue. But it shook her up I think. Johnny and me are going to be making a visit to that club soon I think.”

Kat smiled again, baring her teeth “I maybe able to offer assistance there, should you need it. The Priwen had been planning another raid of the place now that the epidemic has died down. The Great Hunt may have been called off but that bunch deserve to understand we haven’t forgotten about them.”

McCullum bared his own teeth, fangs and all in a large grin and hugged Kat.  
  
”Yeah I think we may just accept your help there. See those bastards know that I’m one of them now and I bet they are just waiting to somehow get that information to the Priwen. Imagine their faces when we appear together, Ha!”

The rest of the night was certainly an unusual one for the Guard of Priwen, Probably a first in fact as they hosted three then two very powerful ekon under their headquarter’s roof. McCullum spent the next few hours talking with many of the guard going into more detail about the night he was turned, about his reaction to it, then realisation and new ‘life’ as an ekon before escorting Charlotte home and then returning to stay with Jonathan.

Jonathan stayed sat by the Chaplin’s side all night and into the day, the room's windowless feature hiding the light from him. McCullum now laid out on the next bed near him ready to take over watch when Jonathan finally needed to rest and it wasn’t until midday that weariness finally took the Dr. He showed what he had been watching to McCullum then laid his head on the pillow and promptly fell asleep. McCullum smiled and smoothed his hand over Jonathan’s forehead, brushing the errant hair that had flopped down during the morning and began his watch of the patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blood types testing was around at the start of the 20th century but only a few types were known until 1940. Testing wasnt quick and easy and certainly not a first aid situation. But i feel since Jonathan can tell if a person is sick or healthy by their blood he could tell what kind of blood they had too.  
The medical descriptions in this, i'm no expert but i've tried to write it as best i could with what research i did as to what they had back then and what could be done.


End file.
